Gunner Stockton has officially entered the Georgia highlight reel, and the pressure is on. After Carson Beck transferred, Stockton stepped in and hasn’t looked back. He has demonstrated improved decision-making and athleticism during spring practices and scrimmages. Both coaches and teammates commend his toughness and resilience, especially after facing a tough game against Notre Dame. The excitement surrounding him is palpable, and Stockton’s ability to remain steady under pressure—combined with his willingness to run when opportunities arise—has Georgia fans buzzing about a bright future in Athens.

Now, let’s pit Stockton against LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier, the Tigers’ 5,763-yard guy and a genuine gunslinger. Nussmeier just completed a behemoth 2024 as LSU’s starter, throwing for 4,043 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, and discussions are already talking about him in Heisman and No. 1 NFL Draft pick contexts. He’s got the big-game pedigree, the production, and the swagger to thread passes into tight spaces—think Brett Favre vibes, says CBS Sports.

“I believe in Garrett Nussmeier more than Gunner Stockton,” declares Joel Klatt on his show. Klatt’s faith in LSU versus Georgia isn’t about preferring Brian Kelly to Kirby Smart; it comes down to quarterback confidence. Though he has respect for Georgia’s Kirby Smart as a coach, it’s the quarterbacks that ultimately seal the deal in close games and decide the direction of the season. Garrett Nussmeier is just a more experienced and polished quarterback than Gunner Stockton at this point, and the statistics prove it. He has demonstrated that he can survive in the SEC by delivering the money plays and accumulating nine 300-yard games, including two over 400 yards.

In the meantime, Stockton continues to battle for respect in the SEC rankings and hasn’t broken into the conference’s top 10 QBs yet. He’s shown flashes of promise in Georgia’s spring game and contributed to their 2024 SEC title, but he remains unproven and a little rough around the edges, with doubts about his decision-making and willingness to avoid big turnovers.

Nussmeier rode shotgun behind Heisman winner Jayden Daniels, which made him erupt in 2024 with more than 4,000 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 picks, scores that brought him into the discussion for highest-drafted NFL pick and among the SEC’s best. “Defense finally took a step forward in the first season under DC Blake Baker,” says Klatt.

LSU’s defense is finally trending upward under DC Blake Baker, and you can sense the mood change in Baton Rouge. After a tough 2023 season, Baker’s inaugural year featured LSU improving from 110th in overall defense in the country to 53rd in 2024. Yes, seriously, they reduced their average yards given up per game by more than 60 yards and their points surrendered by more than four per game. But the real story is 2025. Baker’s sophomore year results in the players being much more at ease in his system, playing both smarter and faster.

“They’ve got the number 1 ranked transfer portal class, and they’ve got 17 transfer players transferring in.” LSU dominated the transfer portal this offseason, securing the No. 1 ranking in the country and bringing in 17 astounding quality transfers. The Tigers grabbed the top edge rusher in the portal, Patrick Payton, who declined the NFL for an additional year of college football at LSU. They also strengthened the receiving corps with Nic Anderson and Barion Brown-both veteran SEC playmakers—and added some serious beef to the O-line with Braelin Moore and Josh Thompson. On defense, Bernard Gooden leads a unit that not only adds skill, but experience; most have 500+ snaps under their belt, which was an enormous need for LSU.

Stockton has flashed in limited playing time but hasn’t yet demonstrated he can do it at a high level consistently. The reason LSU is better than Georgia in 2025 is easy: Nussmeier can be counted on to get the job done in clutch situations, while Stockton must demonstrate he can do the same.

How Georgia’s tough schedule shapes their playoff outlook

American sports media personality Adam Breneman’s playoff pick for the Georgia Bulldogs this year has certainly set the internet abuzz, and frankly, it’s got Dawgs fans feeling some sort of way. For the first time in some time, Georgia isn’t a guarantee on every analyst’s playoff board. Breneman didn’t even include them in his post-spring playoff predictions, which is crazy given how Kirby Smart drives the recruiting engine and the team’s recent run of success. That is not to say Georgia isn’t still a behemoth; they’re riding the momentum of another SEC championship and boast a loaded roster with blue-chip players.

Breneman’s consideration of Georgia’s quarterback situation, the switch to Gunner Stockton, and the fact that the Dawgs had some head-scratching moments last year-narrow wins over Georgia Tech and Kentucky, and losses to Ole Miss and Alabama. His top five undefeated contenders for 2025 are Clemson, Michigan, Iowa State, Notre Dame, and Penn State, with Texas being his wild card. He’s all about teams with either a proven QB or a schedule that dovetails well for a run. This year, he simply didn’t include Georgia, as much as they trot them out as this blue-blood team. He’s not the only one who believes the Bulldogs need a reset year, what with the SEC growing even more competitive and so many teams stocking up via the transfer portal.

However, other observers still regard Georgia as a valid threat. A few playoff predictions have them defeating Notre Dame and Boise State to play in the title game, then losing to Oregon in Atlanta. There’s an idea that if Gunner Stockton settles into his QB role and the defense can show its magic, Georgia could certainly party-crash the playoffs once more. Kirby Smart’s teams have a way of timing their peak just right, and even Breneman concedes that college football never fails to have a few hidden tricks in the bag.