Georgia got over its Alabama loss with a comfortable 35-14 win against Kentucky. In a way, the Wildcats were a perfect opponent to play after a tough defeat. The Bulldogs, for once, started the game on the front foot and led 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. Gunner Stockton went 15 of 25 for 196 yards, but the offensive scheme looked different than earlier weeks. As per former Dawg, David Pollack, Kirby Smart used their Week 6 outing to have his QB push the ball down the field. Overall, he looked good, except for one issue.

Remember how Stockton’s fake pump in the second quarter against Bama’s defense led to a successful 38-yard touchdown pass, decepting cornerback Domani Jackson? Well, that worked, but analyst Brent Rollins isn’t happy with Georgia QB’s play-action game. “I don’t think he’s good at it,” analyst Brent Rollins said in a conversation with David Pollack. “I think he’s better when he’s just a straight drop back.”

On Saturday, against Kentucky, Stockton used a play-action fake, targeting Colbie Young. But the prolonged fake delayed his throw. Despite Young initially beating the corner, the late release allowed the Wildcats’ defensive back to close the gap. “You can tell in practice, they told him to take your time with your fakes. ‘You’re faking, and you’re working too fast, and the stuff isn’t developing.’ Well, what does he do when he takes his time with the fakes and does all that?” Collins asked.

The Tennessee game was probably the highlight of Stockton’s improvements in the play-action game. That has been the emphasis of the coaching staff since the beginning of the season. After their Week 2 win over Austin Peay, Kirby Smart had said that they are trying “a lot of play action shots” in practice. The completions to Zachariah Branch and London Humphreys against the Volunteers resulted from that. However, Collins remains unconvinced.

David Pollack didn’t disagree with his assessment but offered a reason why Georgia is doing that. “I think that’s why they put him in the shotgun, and they did those play-action fakes like they did. I think they were trying to give him a better vision of the field. I think that was what they were trying to accomplish.” But Collins wasn’t moved. “I think it’s backfired,” he added.

But saying it’s backfired isn’t the right conclusion. The season is still young, and Georgia’s offense will look much different towards the end of the season. Moreover, Kirby Smart can’t stop taking chances on RPOs because you have to keep the defense honest with explosive plays.

Stockton throws his first interception

Gunner Stockton rushed for two touchdowns and threw another against the Kentucky Wildcats, with a QBR of 92.8. He also threw his first interception of the 2025 season in the second quarter, caught by Safety Jordan Lovett. Kirby Smart’s reaction? “You can’t throw a pick unless you take some risk,” he said, per Fox Sports’ Georgina Chambers. “You can’t make plays unless you take some risk.”

The Dawgs dominated the first quarter with a 14-point lead and had an upper hand throughout the game. Although the offense couldn’t reach the endzone in the fourth quarter. “I’m excited about our guys getting off to a fast start. That was the goal. That’s always the goal,” Kirby Smart said post-game. Dawg’s victory against the Wildcats is another achievement.

“We still have a long way to improve to get where we need to go. But we are physical and we are resilient. That’s gonna keep you competitive.” Coming up next, Gunner Stockton will face Hugh Freeze’s Auburn Tigers next weekend at Jordan-Hare Stadium.