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USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
David Pollack warns why 'tough season' could be coming for Gunner Stockton, UGA offense
The Georgia Bulldogs have been predicted to finish second in the SEC during the 2025 college football season. The media expects Georgia to fall to the Texas Longhorns in the SEC championship. One big question mark for Georgia ahead of the 2025 season is Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, who is entering his first year as the starter and has just one career start. Yes, Stockton helped Georgia win the 2024 SEC championship against Texas, but the 2024 version of Georgia was flawed and lost three games. College football analyst David Pollack thinks the Bulldogs have to be better surrounding Stockton than they were last season in order for Georgia to have a better season in 2025. "Gunner Stockton cannot lead this team back to where they were a year ago if it's the same team," said Pollack. "If they can't run the football, it's not going to happen. Like they've brought in a bunch of receivers. That's (2024) the worst rushing season Georgia's had in 20 years." Last year, Georgia finished as the second-worst rushing offense in the SEC (124.4 yards per game). The Bulldogs could run the ball against Texas, who had one of the nation's best defenses, but Georgia's rushing offense was not consistent or dominant enough. "If Gunner Stockton is a guy that can play action pass and use that part of his game and they do what Georgia has done with Stetson Bennett and Carson Beck and all these guys, he absolutely can be successful. If you're going to drop back and throw the ball 30, 40 times a game and not have a run game, I don't think he they're going to be back where they were (SEC champions and College Football Playoff appearance)," said Pollack. One thing Georgia has working in its favor is its schedule. The Bulldogs have a challenging SEC schedule, but Georgia opens the season with a pair of non-Power Four opponents, so Gunner Stockton and Georgia's other new starters will have a good opportunity to get experience heading into Georgia's big Week 3 game at Tennessee. "This is a team that's breaking in a bunch of new components. The interior of that offensive line, guard, center, guard, they all got drafted. Like, they're all gone. So that that's going to be a a big part of it," continued Pollack. Georgia has just one offensive lineman on the All-SEC team, so the Dawgs enter the year with some serious questions up front. Additionally, Georgia's defense had three players drafted in the first-round of the 2025 NFL draft, so Kirby Smart and Georgia lost some critical pieces on both sides of the ball. "I think Gunner's a really good player," Pollack noted. "I think he's got a really, really good arm. I would love to see him continue to grow and get better at the intermediate. I'd love to see him learn how to change pace with the football. Like he's got a big windup (in his throwing motion)." Last year, Stockton completed 45 of 64 passes for 440 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He attempted 48 of his passes against College Football Playoff opponents. "I'm 100% sure if you're not going to give him a running game, it's going to be a tough season for the Georgia offense," said Pollack.
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Tennessee coach Josh Heupel addresses 8 game losing streak vs. Georgia football
The Georgia Bulldogs have won eight straight games over the Tennessee Volunteers dating back to 2016. Georgia head coach Kirby Smart is 8-1 in his UGA career against the Volunteers including eight consecutive double-digit victories. Tennessee coach Josh Heupel is 0-4 in his career against Kirby Smart and Georgia, but he has helped lead the Volunteers' program back to respectability. Heupel is 37-15 in four seasons with Tennessee. The Volunteers have some momentum after they made their first ever College Football Playoff appearance in 2024. Now, Heupel and company are looking to reverse their fate against the mighty Bulldogs. "Thanks for reminding me," said Heupel when a member of the media told him about Georgia's recent success against Tennessee. "We haven't been able to be on the right side of the scoreboard in that game. That's players and coaches together ultimately being a little bit better. A couple of those games last year, it's a tight ballgame in the fourth quarter. For us, it's tying all three phases of the game together." Tennessee will have to try to beat Georgia in 2025 with a new starting quarterback after Nico Iamaleava transferred to UCLA this spring. The Volunteers and Heupel are confident UCLA/Appalachian State transfer Joey Aguilar can get the job done this year. "Kirby (Smart) and their staff and their players have done a really good job and played really well in those games. It will be important for us, that's Week 3, that we're ready to go play at the level that we need to against a really good football team," added Heupel. There's no doubt that Georgia will be a challenge for Tennessee, but we'll also learn a lot about Georgia when the two SEC rivals meet in Knoxville. Georgia opens the season with a pair of non-Power Four opponents (Marshall and Austin Peay) at home before playing at Tennessee, which is projected to be quarterback Gunner Stockton's first career road start. Despite Stockton's lack of experience on the road, Georgia has opened as early road favorites for their Sept. 13 game at Tennessee.
USA Today
12-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Georgia football listed as road favorites against Tennessee
The Georgia Bulldogs play the Tennessee Volunteers in their opening SEC game of the 2025 college footballs season. Georgia plays a pair of non-Power Four opponents (Marshall and Austin Peay) at home before playing at Tennessee. Georgia's 2025 schedule will allow projected starting quarterback Gunner Stockton to settle into the starting role, but he'll face a major challenge against Tennessee in Week 3. The Volunteers have one of the country's toughest stadiums for opponents to play in and made the College Football Playoff last season. If Georgia beats Tennessee, then the Bulldogs will in all likelihood start the season 3-0 entering their first bye week. Following Georgia's bye week, the Dawgs host the Alabama Crimson Tide, but we don't think Georgia will overlook a massive game at Tennessee. The Georgia-Tennessee game will also be Tennessee's SEC opener. The Volunteers start the year with a decent test against the Syracuse Orange in Atlanta, so we may know more about Tennessee entering this matchup than we do about Georgia. Georgia at Tennessee game odds All college football odds via FanDuel Georgia vs Tennessee prediction Back in February, we thought Tennessee had a good chance to finall8y beat Georgia. Since then, Georgia has gotten a little better via the spring transfer portal while Tennessee lost starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava to the portal. Kirby Smart is undefeated in his Georgia career against Josh Heupel. We think Smart will continue his perfect record against Tennessee even though Gunner Stockton's first career road start at Tennessee won't be easy. We envision this being a close game, but think Georgia leaves Knoxville with a big road victory. Prediction: Georgia 24, Tennessee 20 Georgia vs Tennessee channel, start time TV channel: ABC Kickoff time: Sept. 13 at 3:30 p.m. Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.
USA Today
07-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
SEC recruiting rankings after Alabama landed multiple 5-star commitments
The Georgia Bulldogs have the SEC's best recruiting class following a dominant recruiting run in June. The Bulldogs' most recent commitment is from four-star tight end Brayden Fogle. No other SEC team has more commitments than Georgia's 27. However, the average Georgia commitment is not as highly ranked as the average Alabama Crimson Tide or LSU Tigers commit. LSU leads the SEC with an average commitment rating of 93.62. The Tigers notably have a commitment from the nation's No. 1 wide receiver recruit, Tristen Keys. LSU's recruiting class is still ranked behind Alabama, who has the SEC's most (and nation's most) commitments from five-star recruits after an impressive recruiting streak in late June and early July. The Crimson Tide recently added commitments from five-star defensive back Jireh Edwards and five-star wide receiver Cederian Morgan. Alabama and head coach Kalen DeBoer are positioned to have a chance to sign the nation's top recruiting class in the 2026 cycle. Contrarily, Alabama's in-state rival, the Auburn Tigers, is struggling on the recruiting trail. Head coach Hugh Freeze's uncertain future is a big factor in why the Tigers have the SEC's worst recruiting class. Auburn appears to be waiting to see how the 2025 season goes before committing significant resources to their class of 2026. The Tigers are currently ranked lower than teams like Idaho, Texas State and Tulsa. Auburn will finish the recruiting cycle ranked higher than all those non-Power Four teams, but the Tigers are not off to a good start. SEC class of 2026 recruiting rankings All recruiting rankings are according to 247Sports as of July 7.
USA Today
14-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Georgia football's 2025 schedule after latest kickoff time announcements
Georgia football's 2025 schedule after latest kickoff time announcements We are less than three months away from the Georgia Bulldogs' 2025 season opener against the Marshall Thundering Herd on Aug. 30. The Bulldogs will have a new feel this fall with redshirt junior Gunner Stockton projected to start at quarterback. Stockton and Georgia have a manageable start to the 2025 season. The Bulldogs open the year with back-to-back home games against non-Power Four opponents in Marshall and Austin Peay. Georgia's first real test comes in Week 3 as the Dawgs hit the road to play the Tennessee Volunteers. Following a recent announcement from the Southeastern Conference, we now know the kickoff time (or approximate time) for all 12 of Georgia's regular season games. The Bulldogs start the season with three straight 3:30 p.m. ET games before hosting the Alabama Crimson Tide at home for a night game (7:30 p.m. ET) in Week 5. Overall, the Bulldogs have three noon games (includes one 12:45 p.m. kickoff), five 3:30 p.m. games, two night games and a pair of flex games (could be afternoon or night) this fall. Georgia's schedule features great home games against Texas, Ole Miss and Alabama. The Dawgs have a manageable road slate with contests at Tennessee, Auburn and Mississippi State. Georgia plays seven home games, three road games and two neutral site games (Florida and Georgia Tech). Georgia football's 2025 schedule Night kickoff time (at Auburn): 6 to 8 p.m. start. Flex kickoff time (versus Texas, Ole Miss): afternoon (3:30 to 4:30 p.m.) start or night (6 to 8 p.m.) kickoff.
