Like he has a handful of times before, Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton helped lift the Dawgs to victory in a major matchup. This time it was on the road against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Georgia beat Alabama 20-17. It was the first time the Georgia football program beat the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa since 2007. It was also the first time Kirby Smart led the Dawgs to victory over Alabama in the regular season.
Georgia is just 3-7 against Alabama under Smart, and two of those wins come from the last two matchups where Stockton has been the starting quarterback. His game on Saturday night was not without mistakes - some being really costly - but he did what he needed to do to help Georgia manage a strong victory and move the the No. 1-ranked team in the country.
“It's a deal that you get better with experience," Smart said. “He had a couple plays that, hey, they didn't work out. He didn't let them affect him. He had the pick that was kind of batted, and then he had a boot that we thought could have been a big play that he underthrew. He doesn't let things fester and affect him.”
Stockton finished the game having completed 18-of-22 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown. He added a touchdown with his legs - his first rushing touchdown of the season.
The senior from Rabun County put together one of his clutchest performances. He fit in a handful of throws into tight windows where the margin for error was just inches.
He was also doing it on third down. Stockton was 9-of-10 passing for 104 yards on third down. He layered a throw to Ceaig Dandridge on third down. He roped one into tight coverage to Talyn Taylor on third down. He drilled tight end Elyiss Williams in tight coverage to connect on a third down conversion, backed into his own end zone, to help run the clock out and put the game away.
Gunner Stockton is playing the best football yet for Georgia. Between the Vanderbilt and Alabama games, he has leveled up. This is just one of about 10 NFL type of throws pic.twitter.com/eawuK8884F
— Ryan Kerley (@RyanCKerley) October 11, 2026
“When he has to stand in there and throw a bullet and make a play, he was
able to do it tonight in really critical situations,” Smart said. “The one conversion to Craig [Dandridge Jr.] over on our sideline on their best corner, he threw a hitch over there, and we just got enough for a first, and then the big conversion on third and whatever it was, seven or eight. I told Mike [Bobo], be aggressive. We're not playing to run it and punt. We're going to try to win the game right now.”
Smart wanted to play aggressive and he didn’t shy away from letting Stockton push the ball downfield even after the early interception.
“I think definitely at least for me and throwing a pick and almost another one, just trying to always just respond and not dwell on the bad moments and just learn from it and move on and kind of not let it carry over any emotion,” Stockton said.
Stockton has now provided clutch moments in tight games four times in his career. He did it against Texas in the 2024 SEC Championship, at Tennessee in 2025, against Ole Miss in 2025 and Saturday night. This is in addition to many of his other big games where the score was not close.
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