Carson Beck’s decision to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft has left a lot of Georgia fans wondering—are the Bulldogs’ national championship hopes officially on life support?
Beck, who suffered a season-ending elbow injury in the SEC Championship Game, announced on Saturday that he won’t be part of Georgia’s College Football Playoff run, at least on the field. That’s a tough pill to swallow for a team that’s relied on his leadership all season.
Now, the Georgia Bulldogs are turning to redshirt sophomore Gunner Stockton, who’s stepping into some very big shoes. Stockton showed flashes of promise in Georgia’s overtime win against Texas, but leading a team through the College Football Playoff is a completely different challenge.
The Bulldogs’ next test comes against Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, and the Irish defense is no joke. With one of the best units in the country, they’ll make Stockton earn the throws he attempts and it's clear that Georgia will have to rely on its running game to make things happen.
That said, Georgia isn’t out of the fight just yet. The Bulldogs have one of the deepest rosters in college football, loaded with talent on both sides of the ball. Their run game came alive in the second half against Texas, and the defense tightened the screws when it mattered most. If Stockton can manage the game and avoid costly mistakes, Georgia might still have a shot to make some noise.
There’s also something to be said for the “next man up” mentality. Teams often rally around a backup quarterback, and Stockton’s teammates seem to believe in him. This is still a program built to compete at the highest level, even without its star QB.
Beck’s absence is a major blow, no doubt about it. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Georgia under Kirby Smart, it’s that this team knows how to respond when their backs are against the wall.
Georgia and Notre Dame will kickoff at 8:45 p.m. E.T. on New Year's Day.