Gunner Stockton’s shocking clutch stats make him Georgia gift that keeps giving

ATHENS — Gunner Stockton’s growth has been the biggest gift to Georgia football in 2025, and his gifts — grit and clutch play — give UGA fans hope for a national title.

Stockton finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting, higher than most anyone could have predicted with the limited amount of experience he brought to the quarterback position playing behind an offensive line with four new starters.

A deeper dive into the numbers reveals even more about Stockton’s incredible accomplishments and timely play.

Stockton has completed an eye-popping 87.5% of his passes thrown in the fourth quarter of games for 503 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions.

Pressure has been a privilege, as Kirby Smart likes to say, with Stockton under center.

Stockton has thrown for eight touchdowns with no interceptions when Georgia has been trailing in games, and he is 5-of-6 passing on fourth-down throws.

“Huge scrambles, great throws on time, darts,” Smart said after Stockton was 12-of-12 passing for 135 yards and three touchdowns in Georgia’s come-from-behind 43-35 win over Ole Miss, a victory that longtime Rebels’ beat writer Neal McCready said “put the nail in the coffin” for Lane Kiffin’s tenure in Oxford, as the former Rebels’ coach realized he might not ever have enough in that position to beat Smart.

Can anyone beat Stockton these days?

Georgia is a 6.5-point favorite to beat Ole Miss when the teams meet at 8 p.m. on Jan. 1 in the CFP Sugar Bowl quarterfinal in New Orleans.

Smart, himself, has proven unbeatable when an in-season rematch is at hand, 4-0 over the course of his 10 years as head coach when such circumstances arise:

• Vs. Auburn in the 2017 SEC championship game (28-7)

• Vs. Alabama in the 2021 season’s CFP championship game (33-18)

• Vs. Texas in the 2024 SEC championship game (22-19, OT)

• Vs. Alabama in the 2025 SEC championship game (28-7).

“He’s wired for these type of moments,” Smart said of Stockton, “because he’s tough and his team believes in him.”

Perhaps the only thing more impressive than Stockton’s clutch throws has been his knack for timely and effective scrambles.

“He knows where that marker is every time,” Smart said, “and he’s going to do everything in his power, if it means running through a brick wall, taking the hardest lick.”

Stockton, on his runs this season in third-and-3 or less situations, has gained enough for a first down 13 of those 17 occasions.

And on the four occasions Stockton has carried the ball on fourth down? Four first downs.

It’s possible, and perhaps even likely, that more fourth-down and come-from-behind scenarios lie ahead.

After all, the seven other teams remaining in the CFP all have strong quarterback play, starting with Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss in the next game.

And, should Georgia beat the Rebels, a Fiesta Bowl match up against Ohio State Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin or former UGA quarterback-turned Miami veteran Carson Beck (who is 35-5 as a starter) would be next.

Here’s a look at how Stockton has fared in his head-to-head duals with other notable quarterbacks:

Georgia 44, Tennessee 41 (OT)

Stockton 23-31, 304 yds, 2 TDs, 0 INT; 38 rushing yds, TD

Joey Aguilar 24-36, 371 yds, 4 TDs, 2 INT; -8 rushing yds, TD

Alabama 24, Georgia 21

Stockton 13-20, 130 yds, 1 TD; 22 rushing yds

Ty Simpson 24-38, 276 yds, 2 TDs; 12 rushing yds, TD

Georgia 24, Florida 20

Stockton 20-29, 223 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT; 11 rushing yds

DJ Lagway 15-24, 166 yds, TD; 24 rushing yds

Georgia 35, Texas 10

Stockton 24-29, 229 yds, 4 TD, 1 INT; 29 rushing yds, TD

Arch Manning 27-43, 251 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT; -17 rushing yds

Georgia 43, Ole Miss 35

Stockton 26-31, 289 yds, 4 TD; 59 rushing yds, TD

Chambliss 19-36, 263 yds, 1 TD; 42 rushing yds, 2 TD

Georgia 16, Georgia Tech 9

Stockton 11-21, 70 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT; 42 rushing yds

Haynes King 19-27, 181 yds, 0 TD, 1 INT; 39 rushing yds

Georgia 28, Alabama 7