Georgia's second fall scrimmage took place on Saturday, and there may be a new quarterback competition on Kirby Smart's hands. This new battle has nothing to do with Gunner Stockton who is guaranteed to be the Bulldogs' starter this year, but it has everything to do with who will back him up.
Last year it was Ryan Puglisi who was Stockton's backup, and the expectation was for him to be No. 2 on the depth chart again this year. Fellow Georgia quarterback Ryan Montgomery however reportedly had a great performance during the Bulldogs' scrimmage on Saturday and could now be pushing him for the backup job to Stockton.
Don't look now, but Ryan Montgomery is coming for that QB2 spot. pic.twitter.com/49qo3pmZbW
— The Bulldawg Report (@ReportBulldawg) August 22, 2026
Georgia may have a backup quarterback competition on their hands
Montgomery is entering his second season at Georgia. Last year he was No. 3 on the depth chart as a true freshman and that was expected to be the case again this season, but a big day during their second scrimmage could be changing that.
Neither Puglisi or Montgomery have played a meaningful down of football during their Georgia careers, so these scrimmages are their best opportunity to show why they should be Stockton's backup. At this point it's impossible to know who is Georgia's current backup quarterback, but Montgomery is making that decision more difficult for Smart than most people probably imagined.
Montgomery's stellar performance shouldn't surprise anyone though. He also shined during a fall scrimmage ahead of the 2025 season too, so his push to be Stockton's backup may have actually started last offseason.
Georgia fans will learn who Stockton's backup is in about a week and a half when their depth chart ahead of their first game comes out, but it seems like there's a chance Montgomery's name could be listed right below Stockton instead of Puglisi.
Ryan Montgomery and Ryan Puglisi will take center stage next offseason at Georgia
The battle to be Stockton's backup this year is still intriguing, but next offseason the competitions between Ryan Montgomery and Ryan Puglisi will be even better.
As long a both players stay at Georgia they will be the top two candidates to replace Stocton as Georgia's starting quarterback next season. Puglisi already battled Stockton during the 2025 offseason which ultimately didn't go his way, and that led to him being his backup all last year. This push from Montgomery however is changing the perception of Georgia's future at quarterback.
It ultimately doesn't really matter who is Georgia's backup this season when it comes to the competition next offseason to be the starter. Both Montgomery and Puglisi will have an equal chance to win the job along with every other quarterback on the roster. Whoever wins the backup job this year will have the best chance to be Georgia's starter next year though, so both players still want to win the backup job this year.
Stockton is Georgia's quarterback this year, that will not be changing, but there appears to be an intriguing backup competition unfolding in Athens right now.
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