Georgia’s Gunner Stockton has ‘pretty neat’ record-setting day in 70-20 win

ATHENS — Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton said it’s “pretty neat” that he has seven touchdown passes through two games with only four incompletions.

Stockton also added a single-game, school-record-tying five touchdown passes to his resume on Saturday, all coming in the first half of the No. 2-ranked Bulldogs’ 70-20 win over Western Kentucky.

Stetson Bennett IV had been the most recent UGA quarterback to accomplish that feat before Stockton’s abbreviated outing on Saturday, also tying the mark in a 56-7 win over UAB.

Stockton’s five passing touchdowns went to:

• Ethan Barbour, 7 yards

• Chauncey Billups, 21 yards

• London Humphreys, 3 yards

• Sacovie White-Helton, 70 yards

• Talyn Taylor, 5 yards

“I think we executed pretty well today. We were a little sloppy at times,” said Stockton, who was 13-of-16 passing for 234 yards when he exited the game in the second quarter with UGA up 42-0.

“There’s a bunch of stuff I can get better at, but you try not to be too hard (on yourself), but definitely there’s stuff we can do there.”

Stockton lamented missing open receiver Isiah Canion in the end zone in the first quarter and being off target on a throw to London Humphreys.

“The one to the Isiah in the west end zone,” Stockton said when asked about the plays he’d like to have back, “and one to London I missed a little bit. I’ve got to get a little better.”

Stockton has otherwise made the most of the five offensive series he played against Tennessee State in the opener and six series against the Hilltoppers, leading the team to touchdown drives on all 11.

“Any time like that, it feels good. You always want to score fast and execute at the end of the day and do your job,” Stockton said. “It’s my last year, so I’m enjoying the moment and having fun.”

Smart praised Stockton’s performance, but also was quick to put it into perspective.

“It’s fun when you score every possession you’re in, that’s what makes it fun,” Smart said. “But is that real? Do you think we’re going to do that in SEC play?”

Smart is particularly sensitive to the hits Stockton is taking, knowing it’s a long season and that his quarterback’s health will be key to a championship drive.

“He’s executing at a high level, (but) he took some hits today that I don’t want him to take,” Smart said. “He took two or three (hits), one he could have controlled it and done something about it, and the others he couldn’t.

“The two hits on the quarterback were late add-on rushes, and we had a couple of things we’ve got to do to pick that up.”

Smart knows Stockton is not one to give up on plays quickly.

“He’s tough, he’ll stand in there and not flinch,” Smart said, “but he’s played well.”

Stockton’s five touchdown passes went to five different receivers, and he connected with 10 different players on his 13 completions.

Georgia (2-0) will open the SEC portion of its schedule at noon next Saturday at Arkansas in an environment Stockton knows will be much different.

“Our first road game last year was Tennessee, so you go on the road, it’s different. The environment is loud and you’ve got to be able to communicate,” Stockton said “So it’s really about attacking practice and doing it the right way.”

Other Georgia QBs with 5 TD-pass games:

• Carson Beck vs. Tennessee Tech, 2024

• Stetson Bennett vs. UAB, 2021

• Aaron Murray vs. Nebraska, 2013

• Aaron Murray vs. New Mexico State, 2011