The only thing we knew about Georgia football QB Gunner Stockton coming into his first season as the starter was that he was a tough-as-nails gamer who had earned the respect of his teammates by running scout team and sitting as a backup for two seasons.
Little did Dawg fans know that once given the reins to Mike Bobo's offense, Stockton would put up stellar numbers while leading the team to a 12-1 record, an SEC Championship, and the No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff. Along the way, he has accumulated Heisman Trophy-type numbers, but he will not be acknowledged by the voters when the award is given on Saturday, December 13.
The Heisman finalists have been announced, and Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, Ohio St. QB Julian Sayin, Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, and Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love are the four players who will be at the ceremony with a shot to earn college football’s top award.
Stockton got 'the Heisman' from the Heisman nominating committee
Stockton's leadership has been outstanding. Several times this season, when the Bulldogs were trailing heading into the fourth quarter, he has played some of his best football leading to big comeback wins.
Having thrown for 23 touchdowns against just five interceptions, he has been smart with the football while making sure to never give opponents short fields to convert turnovers into points. His 2,691 yards passing and 70.3 completion percentage illustrate just how efficient and effective he has been moving the ball through the air.
And don't forget his ability to run with the ball, often avoiding sacks and negative plays by wiggling out of the pocket and diving forward for extra yardage. His mobility near the goal line has made the Bulldogs one of the most effective red zone conversion teams in the country, an area where they struggled last year with Carson Beck under center.
Stockton added eight rushing touchdowns and was responsible for 31 overall scores in 2025.
It's hard to argue with who the finalists are, but Stockton should have be recognized
Mendoza, Sayin, Pavia, and Love have all had Heisman-worthy campaigns with successful teams, but Stockton has been as good as any of the finalists as Georgia has gotten better as the season has gone along. His 31 total touchdowns are equally, if not more impressive than Mendoza's 33, Sayin's 31, Pavia's 27, and Love's 18. Only Pavia has had to face the grueling SEC gauntlet like Stockton.
He may not be as aesthetically engaging throwing the ball as Bobo's system demands the quarterback throwing an abundance of wide receiver screens and short passes. Still, there are a lot of ways to skin a cat, and Stockton has been terrific at keeping defenses honest all season long.
UGA's success under Kirby Smart has always been rooted in smash-mouth toughness and winning the line of scrimmage in a phone booth. As a result, there has been a dearth of Dawgs in Heisman contention over the last 40 years, but Stockton has bucked that trend this season and deserved national recognition.