In the wake of considerable roster changes and uncertainty, head coach Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs are entering a season filled with questions. Once a dominant force in college football with consecutive national championships in 2021 and 2022, Georgia is now facing skepticism, including from one anonymous SEC coach who anticipates a potential downturn in the team’s performance. This perception signals a shift for a program that has long stood atop the college football landscape due to its coaching acumen, elite recruiting, and deeply ingrained winning culture.
Over the past several years, Smart and his coaching staff built a powerhouse in Athens, routinely assembling some of the most talented teams in the country. However, the road has not been as smooth following their 2022 national title. In 2023, Georgia came close to another undefeated regular season but suffered a narrow 3-point defeat to Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. That loss not only ended their perfect season hopes but also cost them a spot in the College Football Playoff, highlighting how slim the margin for error has become in the highly competitive SEC.
Despite the setback, Georgia began the 2024 season once again with a roster brimming with talent, highly regarded among the nation’s best. However, unlike in previous years, offensive struggles were evident. The Bulldogs, who had not dropped a single regular-season game since 2020, were beaten twice during the 2024 campaign. Inconsistencies on offense, particularly with execution and rhythm, were key culprits in those defeats, exposing vulnerabilities that had rarely been seen during Georgia’s recent era of dominance.
Nonetheless, the team managed to bounce back. Even after losing starting quarterback Carson Beck to injury, backup Gunner Stockton stepped in and helped the Bulldogs secure another SEC Championship title. It was a testament to Georgia’s resilience and depth, even amid a challenging season. But those strengths didn’t carry over into the College Football Playoff. Facing Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl quarterfinals, Georgia’s injury-riddled offense faltered, managing just a single touchdown in a 23-10 loss. That performance not only ended their playoff run but also raised significant concerns heading into the 2025 season.
At the forefront of those concerns is the quarterback position. Gunner Stockton is now expected to lead the offense, but with only one career start under his belt, questions about his readiness loom large. Compounding this uncertainty is the loss of 13 Georgia players to the NFL Draft, along with several key athletes entering the transfer portal. These departures have left Georgia with noticeable gaps, particularly in the trenches, where depth and dominance have traditionally been a cornerstone of their success.
An anonymous SEC coach, speaking to Athlon Sports, noted that this year’s Georgia team does not appear to possess the same caliber of talent in the offensive and defensive lines that fans and analysts have come to expect. “I don’t think this is the same level of talent we’ve seen in the last three or four years,” the coach remarked. “I think you might see a decline, at least at first, on both lines of scrimmage.” This candid assessment suggests that Georgia may face a transitional period as it attempts to rebuild some of the muscle that once made it nearly unbeatable.
Kirby Smart himself has acknowledged that maintaining depth has become increasingly difficult in the era of the transfer portal and lucrative NIL deals. In a recent radio appearance, he admitted that the depth which once allowed Georgia to reload with ease has thinned. “You’re thinner now,” Smart explained. “The drop-off is greater between you lose one starter and it’s like, whoa. Because most of the guys that were backups were gone in the portal.” This frank admission underscores the challenges even top programs face in today’s rapidly evolving college football landscape.
Despite the hurdles, Georgia’s recruiting remains elite, giving the program hope for both the present and future. The Bulldogs signed the No. 2 overall recruiting class for the 2025 cycle, according to 247Sports, following up on the No. 1-ranked class the year before. In fact, Georgia has not finished outside the top five in recruiting rankings in nearly a decade. This consistent talent influx provides a strong foundation for continued competitiveness, even as the team reloads.
Recognizing one of the critical issues from the previous season — dropped passes — Georgia’s staff took deliberate steps to strengthen the wide receiver group. Last year, the Bulldogs led the FBS in dropped passes, a glaring weakness for a program of their stature. To address that, Georgia added two high-profile transfers: Zachariah Branch from USC and Noah Thomas from Texas A&M. These additions are expected to play major roles in aiding Stockton’s development and stabilizing the offense.
Still, the quarterback position remains the most significant unknown. “The biggest question mark will be the offense under Stockton,” the anonymous coach said. “They didn’t chase any portal guys, so let’s see if the kid can become elite.” Georgia’s coaching staff opted not to pursue a transfer quarterback, a bold decision that reflects confidence in Stockton but also places immense pressure on the inexperienced signal-caller to perform.
As the Bulldogs prepare to kick off their 2025 campaign with a home game against Marshall on August 30, the atmosphere surrounding the team is one of cautious optimism. There is no denying the talent that remains on the roster, nor the continued prowess of Smart and his coaching staff. Yet, for the first time in several years, there is an air of vulnerability. Injuries, roster turnover, and questions at critical positions have created an environment where the path to success is no longer a given.
Whether Georgia can maintain its status as a national powerhouse in the face of these challenges remains to be seen. The program’s future looks bright, thanks to consistently elite recruiting and a proven coaching staff. But in the immediate term, the Bulldogs face one of their most uncertain seasons in recent memory — a year that may test just how resilient and adaptable the once-dominant program truly is.
