Field Street Forum

Georgia (6-0, 4-0 SEC) checks in at No. 1 in the AP and Coaches poll for the first time since September of 2024. The Bulldogs began that year in the top spot and remained there for the first three weeks of the season. After a 13-12 road win over Kentucky on Sept. 14, the Bulldogs dropped to No. 2 as Texas claimed the top spot. The Bulldogs finished 11-3 that year with a final ranking of No. 6. Georgia began the 2026 season No. 3 and spent the next five weeks at No. 2.

The Bulldogs rank second nationally in Scoring Offense at 46.2 points per game (ppg).

Georgia is outscoring its opponents 73-7 in the first quarter, 164-40 in the first half and 219-49 through three quarters. Overall, the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 277-84.

Georgia’s 277 points is the most after six games to start a Bulldog season.

The offensive line starters have been the same every game this year in Earnest Greene III, Dontrell Glover, Drew Bobo, Zykie Helton and Juan Gaston Jr. Fifth-year All-SEC quarterback Gunner Stockton ranks 3rd in the NCAA with a 198.6 passing efficiency rating. The running backs, wideouts and tight ends have shared the load this season.

Georgia ranks 11th nationally in Scoring Defense at 14.0 ppg. No team has scored more than 20 points this season on the Bulldogs, and that’s the best start since the 2021 national championship team. They did not allow more than 17 points in a game during the regular season.

The same 11 Bulldogs started on defense through the first four games this year. The front and middle featured Elijah Griffin, Jordan Hall, Quintavius Johnson, Gabe Harris Jr., Chris Cole and Raylen Wilson while the back end included All-Americans KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV plus Demello Jones, Kyron Jones and Khalil Barnes. Against VU, Joseph Jonah-Ajonye (DL) and Rasean Dinkins (SS) made their first starts this year. Against #6 Alabama, Dinkins made his second straight start while Barnes returned to the starting lineup.

Senior All-SEC placekicker Peyton Woodring is a weapon with a career FG% of 88% (65-of- 74) and an SEC record 208 consecutive PATs made. Junior Drew Miller handles the punting.

In school history, Georgia has played 45 games as the No. 1 ranked team and has a record of 41-4 in those contests (91.1%). Prior to Smart, these games were in 1942 (2-1), 1980 (3-0), 1982 (2-1) and 2008 (1-0).

The two-time defending SEC champion Bulldogs play host to Auburn (3-2, 1-2 SEC) Saturday as the Tigers are coming off an open date.

Last week, the Bulldogs went to Tuscaloosa and beat #6 Alabama 20-17. The Crimson Tide was the only FBS team to have at least 45 points in every game this season until managing just 17 against Georgia. It was the fewest points by the Crimson Tide at home since 2011.

During Smart’s tenure, Georgia is 78-18 against SEC teams (regular season, SEC title games and CFP matchups). During this decade, Georgia’s only loss to a non-SEC team came to No. 5 Notre Dame in a CFP quarterfinal at the 2025 Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs are 79-9 in this stretch. At home under Smart, the Bulldogs are 60-5 including 33-4 in SEC games.

Saturday will mark the 131st meeting between Georgia and Auburn since 1892, and the Bulldogs lead the Deep South’s oldest rivalry 66-56-8. The only rivalry game played more in NCAA FBS history is Minnesota-Wisconin at 135 dating to 1890.

Georgia’s longest winning streak has been nine straight from 1923-1931 and the current stretch that began at the 2017 SEC Championship Game. In 2017, #10 Auburn upset #2 Georgia in the regular season meeting 40-17 in Auburn, and then the #6 Bulldogs won a rematch over #4 AU 28-7 in the 2017 SEC Championship Game.

Under Smart, the Bulldogs are 10-1 against the Tigers including 5-0 in Athens.

For only the fourth time in school history, Georgia will face Alabama and Auburn in back-to-back games (1924, 1929, 2024). The 1929 squad was the only one to go 2-0, blanking the Tigers 24-0 in Athens and then the Crimson Tide 12-0 in Birmingham. For only the fourth time in school history, Georgia will face Alabama and Auburn in back-to-back games (1924, 1929, 2024). The 1929 squad was the only one to go 2-0, blanking the Tigers 24-0 in Athens and then the Crimson Tide 12-0 in Birmingham.

Fifth-year Gunner Stockton is a 6-1, 215-pound native of Tiger, Ga.

Owns an 18-3 Career Record as a starter including 7-2 against ranked teams

Ranks 3rd in NCAA in Passing Efficiency with a 198.6 Rating and 2nd in Completion Percentage at 76.6 in 2026

18-for-22 for 249 yards, 2 TDs (1-pass, 1-rush) in 20-17 road win over #6 Alabama, directed 10-play, 84-yard scoring drive in final 5 minutes of game

25-for-32 for 295 yards, 3 TDs in 38-14 win over VU and then earned Davey O’Brien Great 8 and Manning Award Stars of the Week honors

Led team in rushing (7-for-97 yards including a career-long 62-yard scamper) plus 10-for-13 for 147 yards and 1 TD in 45-17 road win over Arkansas

Tied school record with 5 TD passes in a 70-20 rout of WKU in ’26. Went 13-for-16 for 234 yards playing only the first five possessions in the 1st half.

Started 2026 opener versus TSU and built 35-0 lead, going 15-for-16 for 202 yards and 3 TDs in first five possessions before giving way to backups.

Behind Stockton, the QB room with game experience includes a trio of Bulldogs. Junior Ryan Puglisi (12 career games) has the been the first one off the bench in 2026 followed by sophomores Ryan Montgomery (three games), and Hezekiah Millender (two games).

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