Last season’s Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame left a “bad taste” in the mouth of Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton.
It was Stockton’s first career start after replacing Carson Beck against Texas in the SEC Championship game. He helped the Bulldogs get a comeback win over the Longhorns and went into the Sugar Bowl riding high.
Georgia didn’t seem focused and struggled, allowing the Fighting Irish to escape with a 23-10 win.
Stockton didn’t play badly, as he completed 20 of 32 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown, but it wasn’t enough.
This season, Stockton has guided the Bulldogs to a 12-1 overall record and a revenge win over Alabama in the conference title game, earning a spot in the Sugar Bowl. However, that isn’t good enough for Stockton.
“I’ve had a bad taste in my mouth, to be honest, ever since,” Stockton said on Dec. 28. “I don’t really handle losses that well. I had worked this offseason and where I’m at today to set myself up to do good things.”
Georgia will face Ole Miss on Jan. 1 in New Orleans at Caesars Superdome. The Bulldogs have already beaten the Rebels this season. They dominated the fourth quarter and won 43-35 in a thriller on Oct. 15 in Athens.
Stockton had his best game against Ole Miss, accounting for five total touchdowns. He completed 26 of 31 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns, while rushing for 59 yards on 10 attempts with one score.
In the second half. Stockton completed 12 of 12 passes for 135 yards and three touchdowns, with two scores in the fourth quarter, when the Bulldogs outscored the Rebels 17-0 and had the ball for over 13 minutes.
Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo recalled Stockton’s performance against Ole Miss.
“We had a mantra that game that we would go out there and play free. I thought he went out there and played free,” Bobo said. “That was one of the first games that he started to make some plays, extending with his legs, whether it was running for first downs, or he had a couple of key scrambles where he was able to find conversions.”
Stockton now has 14 career starts under his belt.
“I’d say confidence is the biggest part.. That just comes with a bunch of banked reps and games going through a whole season,” the Georgia quarterback said. “I’m a lot more confident now than I was last year.”
Stockton’s Bulldog teammates have also seen the development and leadership firsthand.
“It doesn’t matter what play is called, he’s going to execute to the best of his abilities no matter how he feels,” Georgia senior tight end Oscar Delp said of Stockton. “And to see a guy like that, being on the field with him at practice, and just the way he practices and approaches every play and every rep is huge.”
Georgia junior wide receiver Zachariah Branch transferred from USC in the offseason and has developed a rapport with Stockton.
Branch has been Stockton’s favorite target this season, as he’s caught 73 passes for 744 yards and five touchdowns. He thinks very highly of the Bulldogs’ redshirt junior signal caller and believes in him.
“I just saw (Stockton’s) will to win, and just the competitive nature that he had in practice and the way he carried himself,” Branch said. “Just that leadership in the huddle, just that dog mentality that he just plays with every single day, and then the dudes around him wanting to play harder for him as well.”
Bobo believes in Stockton as well and is part of the reason why the quarterback is at Georgia.
“He’s kinda come out of his shell a little bit, and you’re able to see more true of what Gunner Stockton is and who he is as a quarterback,” Bobo said. “And he knows he’s not even close to reaching his ceiling. He can continue to improve. And I know he’s got a bad taste in his mouth about our first opportunity in the playoffs last year. I know it was his first start, but he wants to go out, like our whole football team, and play well in this game and give ourselves a chance to win a ball game.”