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· collected 2026-08-20 · by Charles Odum The Associated Press
No. 3 Georgia is led by returning quarterback Gunner Stockton and coach Kirby Smart, who has a 117-21 record at the school with two national championships. The Bulldogs are expected to contend for an SEC and national championship despite receiving no first-place votes in the AP Top 25 preseason poll. They have strengths on both offense and defense, including tight end and defensive back positions, but face concerns about experience on their wide receiver unit after losing top players to the NFL draft. Georgia enters its season with a school-record streak of five seasons with at least 11 wins at stake.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-20,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Georgia's football team, led by QB Gunner Stockton, is gearing up to compete for both *SEC* and national championships this season. With a 2025 record of 12-2 in mind, the team returns several key players, including starting quarterback Gunner Stockton and experienced running back Nate Frazier. Coach Kirby Smart will lead the team for his 11th season, bringing with him a proven track record: *117-21 at Georgia*, including two national championships and four *Southeastern Conference* titles. The Bulldogs are predicted to extend their school-record streak of five seasons with at least 11 wins, despite receiving no first-place votes in the AP Top 25 preseason poll. The team's strengths include its o-line and secondary, with standout players like tight end KJ Bolden and defensive back Ellis Robinson IV.
Written for “College Football Season Preview” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 1624 · logged 2026-08-31
No. 3 Georgia
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — 2025 record: 12-2
Expectations
Having a returning starting quarterback in Gunner Stockton and an experienced lead running back in Nate Frazier are good reasons for Georgia to again be considered a national championship contender.
asserted
Georgia → have → Frazier
Having Kirby Smart back for his 11th season as coach is an even better reason.
asserted
Having → have → coach
The Bulldogs will try to extend a school-record streak of five seasons with at least 11 wins.
asserted
Bulldogs → try → wins
Even though it received no first-place votes in the AP Top 25 preseason poll, Georgia enters the season in the top five for the eighth straight year.
asserted
Georgia → receive → year
Georgia was the choice of voters at the SEC’s annual media days to win yet another SEC title this season.
asserted
Georgia → win → title
Strengths include the o-line and secondary
Tight end and the offensive line are strengths for an offense likely to feature Frazier, who rushed for 947 yards and six touchdowns a year ago.
asserted
who → include → yards
The defense is led by defensive backs KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV and linebacker Raylen Wilson.
asserted
defense → lead → Bolden
Robinson tied for the SEC lead with four interceptions at cornerback as a freshman.
asserted
Robinson → tie → freshman
Bolden, a safety, ranked second on the team with 76 tackles and had two interceptions.
asserted
Bolden → rank → interceptions
Wilson, who had 74 tackles last season, and Chris Cole make inside linebacker another strength.
asserted
linebacker → have → tackles
Georgia’s deepest position may be tight end, where senior Lawson Luckie has 14 career starts.
uncertain
Luckie → have → starts
Sophomore Elyiss Williams (6-7, 255) had seven catches as a freshman and has breakout potential while Ethan Barbour was a starter as a freshman before suffering an ankle injury.
asserted
Barbour → have → injury
Jaden Raddell also has experience at the position.
asserted
Raddell → have → position
Weaknesses including wide receiver
Georgia lost its top five receivers, including Zachariah Branch, a third-round NFL draft pick by Atlanta, and Colbie Young, a fourth-round pick by Cincinnati.
asserted
Georgia → include → Cincinnati
The unit also lost Dillon Bell and Noah Thomas.
asserted
unit → lose → Bell
The lack of experience is a big concern for an offense looking to become more explosive.
asserted
lack → look → offense
London Humphreys, who had 18 catches and three touchdowns but no starts last season, is the top returner.
asserted
who → have → catches
Georgia ranked last in the SEC with 20 sacks last season and is looking for increased production from such players as Zayden Walker, who showed promise as a third-down pass rusher, and Chase Linton.
asserted
who → rank → rusher
New faces
WR Isiah Canion (transfer from Georgia Tech), WR Ryan Mosley, CB Khalil Barnes (transfer from Clemson), CB Gentry Williams (transfer from Oklahoma), CB Braylon Conley (transfer from Southern California).
Key losses
RB Dante Dowdell, a transfer from Kentucky, was expected to play immediately before suffering serious injuries in an offseason ATV accident.
asserted
Dowdell → expect → accident
Smart said Dowdell is “not with us” and the emphasis is on his ability to recover for daily functions instead of football.
asserted
emphasis → say → functions
Edge rusher Amaris Williams, a transfer from Auburn, suffered a torn ACL in spring practice.
asserted
Williams → suffer → practice
