Georgia’s season ended in an all too familiar fate. Another Sugar Bowl full stop. Last season, it was a 23-10 loss to Notre Dame. This time, it’s a 39-34 defeat to Ole Miss under new head coach Pete Golding. While QB Gunner Stockton did show promising flashes, none can stop the questions about the ceiling of the position. And the result below isn’t flattering for the Bulldog QB. 

On January 24, CFBNumbers released career QB ratings for passers active during the 2025 season. Gunner Stockton ranked No. 8 with a 3.84 rating, trailing several peers he is expected to compete with nationally in 2026. 

USC’s Jayden Maiava topped the list at 5.65, followed by Ohio State’s Julian Sayin at 5.25 and Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss at 5.15. The ranking does not invalidate his production, but it does underline the gap between Georgia’s starter and the sport’s most efficient QBs.

The Ole Miss game exposed that gap. Gunner Stockton was resilient, but not clean. Four of his passes were batted down at the line of scrimmage, an issue that repeatedly surfaced when he tried to work the middle of the field. He also absorbed multiple heavy hits, including two plays where he left his feet to complete throws and landed hard on the turf. Both completions moved the chains, but the risk was obvious. The toughness is unquestioned but his self-preservation remains a work in progress.

Statistically, the Sugar Bowl looked almost like a replay of Gunner Stockton’s first career start against Notre Dame the year before. Against Ole Miss, he completed 18 of 31 passes for 203 yards and a TD. In that earlier start, he went 20 of 32 for 234 yards and a score. The difference came on the ground. Stockton rushed for 20 yards and two TDs this time, a stark contrast to the previous season, when sacks pushed his rushing total to minus-23 yards. 

The comparison becomes sharper when placed next to the QBs ahead of him. Maiava finished the season with 3,431 passing yards, 23 TDs, and six rushing scores while leading USC to a 9-3 record and a top-tier Big Ten offense. Sayin, a Heisman finalist, threw for 3,610 yards and 32 TDs while winning the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award. Chambliss dismantled Georgia’s defense in the Sugar Bowl, throwing for 362 yards without taking a single sack or interception, and finished the year with 3,937 passing yards and just three picks. 

Still, Gunner Stockton’s immediate future is settled. He is returning to Georgia. The silence around his decision likely pleased Kirby Smart, who has openly criticized the culture of constant announcements. More importantly, it keeps the Bulldogs’ QB room stable heading into a critical offseason. 

This veteran is too central to Georgia’s plans. Inside the program, confidence in Gunner Stockton has not wavered. WR Colbie Young framed it simply. 

“We’ve got a great quarterback back there,” he said. “We’ve got a great leader. He’s shown that he can do it before. He’ll do it again.”

Gunner Stockton started all 13 games, earned Coaches All-SEC Third Team honors, finished seventh in Heisman voting, and threw 23 TDs against just five interceptions while adding eight rushing scores. His return could help him break a school record. 

What’s next for Gunner Stockton in Georgia?

OC Mike Bobo believes Gunner Stockton has more to give. 

“He knows he’s not even close to reaching his ceiling,” he said. “He can continue to improve.”

That belief carries weight as Gunner Stockton enters a season that could define his place in Georgia history. 

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With another full year as the starter, Gunner Stockton could reach 30 consecutive starts, a milestone achieved under Kirby Smart only by Jake Fromm. Stetson Bennett reached 32 starts, but not consecutively. Carson Beck fell short at Georgia before extending his total at Miami.

Reaching that mark would require health, consistency, and a deep playoff run. Gunner Stockton’s toughness suggests it is possible. Whether his play can rise to match the QBs ahead of him will determine if Georgia’s questions finally turn into answers.