Georgia legend reveals Gunner Stockton's best trait ahead of College Football Playoff

With the College Football Playoff being underway on Friday night when the No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners host the No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide in a rematch from earlier this season, teams like the Georgia Bulldogs will be awaiting their opponents coming off a bye week. Georgia will face the winner of the No. 6 vs. No. 11 game between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Tulane Green Wave in the Sugar Bowl.

With Gunner Stockton being the only quarterback with playoff experience, Buck Belue chimed in.

"He's coming off that win over Alabama. Played well against the Crimson Tide and that defense in the SEC Championship Game. So confidence is at a high for Gunner Stockton right now. He's playing clean. A lot of good, quick decisions. 31 total touchdowns this season. Accurate, over 70-percent completion percentage."

The former Georgia star quarterback continued over on 680 The Fan discussing Stockton's game.

"Hurting defenses with his legs, and picking his spots to do so. He's not running to be scrambling. He can hurt the defense, third-down runs, first-down, Georgia. Red zone, goal line, he's factoring in hurting the defense with his legs."

Then Belue offered the following on what is arguably the greatest trait Stockton has working for him.

"I tell ya, there's not a tougher quarterback in the College Football Playoff. This guy's mentally tough. He probably already figured that part of it out."

The aspect of being both physically and mentally tough are why Stockton can lead Georgia to a title.

Let's now unpack Belue's assessment on Stockton heading into the playoff with an ascending game.

Gunner Stockton's toughness could be Georgia's guiding light in CFP

Even though all signs point to Stockton returning to Georgia for one final season in 2026, his previous experience in last year's College Football Playoff, good, bad, or downright ugly, will inevitably serve him. Stockton will be thrust into the same house of horrors from a year ago in New Orleans, only this time will he be facing a less worthy adversary. Ole Miss and Tulane are not going to be Notre Dame...

What Belue described over the airwaves about Stockton is a quarterback who is seeing the field very well. Whether it is completing balls at a high level, converting one first down after another in key situations, or just being completely mentally locked in, Stockton is playing with the poise necessary to win multiple playoff games in this format. No other quarterback in the field has played in one yet.

Overall, Belue's assessment of what Stockton is bringing to the table is spot on. He finished his comments on the matter of how this is the time of year where all of offensive coordinator Mike Bobo's best plays need to be used. Empty the chamber, basically. The other thing working out so wonderfully for Stockton is he fits Bobo's offense like hand in glove. He has gotten better with every single start.

Ultimately, Georgia has to continue to bring its A game each and every week to become national champions for the fourth year in a row. Assuming chalk, the Bulldogs' pathway to a national title is a Sugar Bowl win over No. 6 Ole Miss as the No. 3 seed, then upsetting the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes in the Fiesta Bowl, followed by handing the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers their first loss of the year in Miami.

Georgia deserves to be on the shortlist of serious national title contenders because of Stockton.