In the SEC, it’s not unusual to see a bully suddenly becoming an underdog. Georgia’s O-line has long been the bully on the block. But last year, not so much. The Bulldogs stumbled to their lowest rushing output of the Kirby Smart era, just 124.4 yards a game and surrendered 25 sacks. That was a harsh reality check. This year, they’ve got a new QB in Gunner Stockton, who can use both his arm and legs to his advantage. His loyalty to the Dawgs is undeniable but there’s the inexperience tag. And then the leaky O-line. 

With four starters off to the NFL, the pressure is building up again. Smart knows his front five have to grow up fast. In a new episode on Josh Pate’s College Football Show on August 19, the national analyst didn’t sugarcoat it. “They have one player starting on that offensive line, Ernest Green, I believe, who has more than five starts under his belt,” he said. “They didn’t attack the portal along the offensive line when they could have. They could have at least made an effort to and they really sort of stood firm with their players.” If the line grows up, Stockton gets balance, play action opens up, and suddenly that loaded receiver room becomes a nightmare for defenses. But it all rests on the production by the offensive line. “If you don’t have that, that goes out the window,” Josh Pate added. “You put Gunner Stockton in kind of an unfair position.” The stakes are monumental. 

Gunner Stockton is being asked to ignite an offense stocked with elite receivers which is “low-key be one of the strongest in the SEC” per Josh Pate. But without balance, that talent doesn’t matter. It’s third-and-long and suddenly the QB’s scrambling for his life. “It’s probably still a good year.,” Pate admitted, “There’s a high floor for Georgia, but it’s probably about like last year. You’re watching it like they’re winning games, but ultimately I don’t think this team has championship ceiling, championship potential about it.” The HC though, is selling belief. 

After the Bulldogs’ first scrimmage, Kirby Smart said he was “pleased with the group.” But he also challenged them to build identity through toughness, edge-setting, and physicality. Freshman Juan Gaston has already flashed in camp and center Drew Bobo isn’t hiding his admiration. But betting your QB’s comfort on freshmen and redshirt battles at right guard is a dice roll in the cutthroat SEC. And as if he didn’t have enough spinning plates, the playoff conversation just won’t slow down.

What Kirby Smart feels about the playoff expansion

Kirby Smart’s balancing act doesn’t stop at his roster. While his offensive line tries to find its backbone, the HC is also weighing in on the future of the College Football Playoff. He didn’t shy away from the Big Ten’s proposal of a 24 or even a 28 team bracket. “I’m probably like most people in the majority, to be able to expand the playoffs if it’s done the right way, in terms of giving more teams the opportunity,” he said during his press conference. “I think that’s what fanbases want.” 

But expansion makes Gunner Stockton’s situation even trickier. In a world where more playoff spots exist, Georgia doesn’t need perfection to qualify but they’ll need balance to contend. Kirby Smart knows fans don’t drool over mid-tier bowls anymore. They want titles, and titles demand QBs who aren’t asked to carry the load alone. For the Dawgs, it still comes down to whether Gunner Stockton has a foundation under his feet. 

So here we are, Georgia’s season hinges on five linemen we don’t fully trust yet, and a QB everyone desperately wants to believe in. It’s a high-floor, high-anxiety equation. Ready or not, Gunner Stockton’s fate may rest in the hands of an unproven offensive line, while Kirby Smart keeps one eye on the trenches and another on a playoff system about to get reshaped.