Paul Finebaum delivers clear stance on Georgia QB Gunner Stockton

Gunner Stockton is expected to be Georgia’s next starting quarterback. He made a name for himself after coming on for injured Carson Beck in the SEC championship game against Texas and led the Bulldogs to a crucial victory in Atlanta.

With Beck ruled out of action for the rest of the season, Stockton stepped in the College Football Playoff. He led the Bulldogs' offense in the Sugar Bowl game against Notre Dame. However, the Fighting Irish came out on top in the contest as an underdog to advance to the semifinals.

During a recent installment of the “The Paul Finebaum Show,” Finebaum voiced doubts about Gunner Stockton’s ability as the quarterback. The veteran SEC Network analyst hasn’t seen enough to be convinced that he has what it takes to lead a big program offense like Georgia.

"I don't know about Georgia," Finebaum said. "I know everybody was enthralled by Gunner Stockton after the Sugar Bowl, I was not."

In the playoff game against the Fighting Irish at the Caesars Superdome, Gunner Stockton completed 20 of 32 passes for 234 yards and one touchdown.

Will Gunner Stockton be named Georgia’s starting quarterback in 2025?

Following the departure of Carson Beck for Miami via the transfer portal this offseason, Georgia will be having a new quarterback in the 2025 college football season.

Gunner Stockton is seen as the favorite to take the starting job following his unexpected late-season heroics in 2024. After his performance against Texas in the SEC title game, Kirby Smart disclosed the confidence the team has in him.

“The players believe in Gunner,” Smart said. “They love Gunner. The juice that he brought and the passion and energy. And he lives with three or four of those guys, Drew (Bobo) and Oscar (Delp) and some of them. And it was like it gave us an added boost of energy.”

“They were fired up. They were trying to keep him composed. And I thought the offensive staff did a good job helping Gunner out, with the way they called the game. And he did a good job executing.”

Stockton doesn't possess enough experience at the collegiate level to garner widespread confidence heading into 2025. However, the quarterback is ready to take on the challenge and has shown some promise on the field in the 2024 season.