Between a bitter rivalry, Faculty Soccer Playoff implications and a potential spot within the SEC championship sport, the Georgia Bulldogs have loads to play for once they face the Florida Gators on Saturday, November 1. There's much more on the road for Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton.
The sport will happen at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, the identical stadium the place his grandfather died in 2010.
“He had a coronary heart assault there on the stadium,” Stockton, 21, informed ESPN in a narrative printed Thursday, October 30. “Each time we go to Florida, I actually need to beat them unhealthy in Jacksonville.”
Gunner's grandfather Lawrence Stockton was a graduate of the UGA College of Pharmacy. He attended the sport the day he died, a 34-31 loss to the Gators, and was speaking to his good friend within the car parking zone after the sport when he collapsed. He was 63.
“He stated one thing about [former Bulldogs defensive coordinator] Todd Grantham and collapsed,” stated Lawrence's widow, Suzanne Frederickson.
Gunner was simply 6 years previous when Lawrence died, however he nonetheless holds onto recollections of his grandfather.
“He lived on the lake, and he at all times handled us so good and spoiled the grandkids,” he stated. “He was only a nice granddad.”
For Gunner, Georgia soccer is in his blood, coming from an extended line of Bulldogs followers on his dad's facet. He grew up 75 miles from the Athens, Georgia, campus as a large Bulldogs fan himself and the son of two former faculty athletes.
Nonetheless, Gunner initially dedicated to the College of South Carolina in highschool, the place the son of one in every of his highschool coaches was the offensive coordinator. As soon as that coach, Mike Bobo, left the Gamecocks for Auburn College, Gunner flipped to Georgia.
“The No. 1 factor for Gunner is he's recognized our neighborhood, and particularly our household, his associates and people folks closest to him, imagine in him,” his father, Rob, informed UGASports in 2024. “We've at all times liked him and wish the perfect for him. That is one thing that he's labored for [and] one thing he's dreamed of.”
He added, “You take a look at photos of your child, they usually're throwing the ball in your yard and dreaming of being the beginning quarterback on the College of Georgia. It has occurred. It's unreal.”
Now in his fourth season at Georgia, Gunner redshirted throughout the Bulldogs' 2022 Nationwide Championship season. Three years later, he's the beginning quarterback, and going into Saturday, has thrown for 10 touchdowns in comparison with just one interception. He now has an opportunity for an additional ring and even an outdoor shot on the Heisman Trophy.
With 5 video games remaining within the common season, head coach Kirby Good is on the lookout for his quarterback to “proceed to develop.”
“We give Gunner plenty of latitude and choices, by way of the playcall,” he stated. “It's extra about placing us in the correct play to achieve success primarily based on what they're in defensively. I don't suppose he will get sufficient credit score for that decision-making course of.”
Georgia and Florida will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ABC.
