Subscribe
Follow Us
A credible college football insider revealed why Georgia football is primed for a deep run despite the injury to Carson Beck. The Bulldogs are unsure when their star quarterback will return from his UCL injury. Sophomore quarterback Gunner Stockton stepped in for Beck to lead Georgia to an SEC championship victory over No. 3 Texas. Now, Kirby Smart's team has the No. 2 seed heading into the College Football Playoff.
The Bulldogs will face the winner of seventh-seeded Notre Dame and tenth-seeded Indiana in the quarterfinals on January 1. While the concern at the quarterback position is valid, Brad Crawford does not think this issue will hurt the Bulldogs as much as people think. Crawford, a College Football Analyst for 247Sports and CBS Sports, explained on The Paul Finebaum Show why, with or without Beck, Georgia will be playing in Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 20.
“Carson Beck has not been elite this season. And Georgia beat an elite team in the second half without him. Georgia's offense couldn't get much going in the first half against Texas. Gunner Stockton comes in and plays pretty well in the second half. I like Kirby Smart in this scenario because not only is the draw good for Georgia but he's got more than three weeks to coincide with Mike Bobo and put together a great game plan. I like Georgia to make this final, and Gunner Stockton may be a household name entering 2025.”
Georgia football's draw looks easier…on paper
With the No. 1 strength of schedule in the country, Kirby Smart's team is ready for war on January 1. The Bulldogs are more battle-tested than any team in college football. Georgia has won four games against teams in the College Football Playoff, including two against Texas. Despite having the No. 2 seed, many pundits believe the Bulldogs got the easier draw than No. 1 Oregon.
The difference seems slim when comparing the actual rankings. Oregon's side of the bracket has No. 16 Clemson, No. 12 Arizona State, No. 7 Tennessee, No. 6 Ohio State, and No. 3 Texas. Georgia's draw is composed of No. 10 SMU, No. 9 Boise State, No. 8 Indiana, No. 5 Notre Dame, and No. 4 Penn State. However, it is important to note that Ohio State handily beat both Indiana and Penn State during the regular season.
It's safe to say that Georgia's side has more teams that are not battle-tested or do not have the same high-end talent overall. However, that fact does not mean the Bulldogs can take any game for granted. Kirby Smart must beat three high-caliber teams on neutral fields to walk away with his third national title in four years. Georgia needs consistency at the quarterback position to accomplish this feat from either Gunner Stockton or Carson Beck.
Stockton showed flashes of his potential against Texas in the SEC title game. Still, to make or win a national championship, Georgia will need more from this position going into this new gauntlet.
