News And Notes For UGA Football's 2025 Season Opener Against Marshall
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ATHENS - Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs are less than a week away from kicking off the 2025 season.
Expectations are high, and the season will start this Saturday afternoon as the Bulldogs host the Marshall Thundering Herd.
Here are some news and noted about the 2025 Georgia Bulldogs...
Did You Know?
The Bulldogs have won a school record 31 consecutive home games dating to 2019, and that is the longest active streak in the FBS. During the streak, Georgia has beaten 10 ranked teams including five ranked in the top 10. Georgia is 50-4 Between the Hedges in the Smart era.
Playing With FPE (Fire, Passion & Energy)
*One of Georgia’s main themes during the preseason and now into 2025 will be to play with “FPE.”Fifty-four percent of Georgia’s roster is made of players in their first or second seasons in Athens and they have displayed youthful exuberance throughout spring and fall camp.
Season-Opening Success
*Georgia is 101-27-3 in season openers including 9-0 in the Kirby Smart era. The Bulldogs have won 11 straight openers. The last defeat came in 2013 at #8 Clemson (38-35 over #5 Georgia).
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Georgia-Marshall History Features Only 2004 Matchup
*This will be the second meeting between the two schools. Marshall is under the direction of first-year coach Tony Gibson. He replaced Charles Huff who left for Southern Miss shortly after winning the Sun Belt Conference last year. MU entered bowl season with a 10-3 mark and on a seven-game winning streak, but a significant number of players jumped into the portal following Huff’s departure, and Marshall pulled out of the Independence Bowl. Gibson’s first recruiting class features 61 new players. In 2025, Marshall will wear green helmets, a first since 2009.
*In 2004, Georgia played host to Marshall, and the visitors took an early 3-0 lead on a 33-yard field goal by Ian O’Connor. It was set up by a 57-yard completion from Stan Hill to Emmanuel Spann on the first play from scrimmage. The Bulldog defense would blank the Thundering Herd the rest of the way for a 13-3 win as Marshall managed just 160 yards of offense. David Greene finished 17-for-30 for 209 yards while Thomas Brown gained 81 yards on 18 carries. Michael Cooper scored the lone touchdown while Andy Bailey hit a pair of field goals from 29 and 33 yards.
*From 1996-2000, Georgia was led by Jim Donnan who was hired from Marshall. Donnan, a 2009 College Football Hall of Fame inductee, posted a 40-19 record during his Georgia tenure.
Probability and Statistics
*Despite posting an 11-3 mark with an SEC title and advancing to another College Football Playoff, Georgia’s offensive and defensive statistics were deemed average by the pundits compared to other top teams last year. However, one should consider the Bulldogs played the nation’s toughest schedule per ESPN’s FPI with regular season road games at No. 1 Texas, No. 4 Alabama, No. 16 Ole Miss, and in the postseason, they faced No. 2 Texas in Atlanta and No. 5 Notre Dame in the CFP at the Sugar Bowl. Ultimately, here’s where the Bulldogs finished in the national rankings.
Scoring Offense:
Averaged 31.5 ppg (38th); Scoring Defense: Allowed 20.6 ppg (23rd) In the Smart era, the Georgia defense has ended the year ranked in the top five nationally in Scoring Defense five times including leading the nation twice (2019 at 12.6 ppg & 2021 at 10.2 ppg). Also, Georgia was ranked in the final top 10 in Scoring Offense from 2021-23. The Bulldogs were the only FBS team to finish the 2023 season nationally ranked in the top five in both Scoring Offense (40.1 ppg/5th) and Scoring Defense (15.6 ppg/5th).
SMART Football
*Kirby Smart enters his 10th season at the helm of his alma mater with a 105-19 mark. He is one of only two active coaches (Dabo Swinney, Clemson) with multiple national championships. Georgia is the only team in the CFP-era to win back-to-back national titles, doing it in 2021-2022.
*In 2024, the Bulldogs made their fourth straight appearance in the SEC Championship Game (SECCG) and seventh overall trip under Smart. After a 22-19 overtime win over then No. 2 Texas, the Bulldogs claimed their 15th SEC title in school history and the No. 2 seed in the CFP.
*Georgia owns the nation’s longest active bowl streak at 28 seasons. Since 2019, the Bulldogs are 7-1 in their past eight bowl/CFP matchups after a CFP quarterfinal loss to #5 Notre Dame in the 2025 Sugar Bowl.
*Georgia is 39-3 against non-conference teams in the Smart era including 22-1 at home. The only losses have been in the 2025 CFP quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl (#5 Notre Dame 23-10), the 2019 Sugar Bowl (Texas 28-21) and in 2016 in Athens (Ga. Tech 28-27).
Stockton Ranks As The Veteran Signal-Caller
Redshirt junior Gunner Stockton, a 6-1, 215-pound native of Tiger, Ga., enters the 2025 season as the veteran quarterback with rookies behind him in redshirt freshmen Ryan Puglisi and Colter Ginn plus true freshmen Ryan Montgomery and Hezekiah Millender all preparing for their opportunity.
*Stockton delivered when called upon to start the second half of the 2024
SECCG against Texas who had the No. 1 rated pass defense (No. 3 total defense). He led the Bulldogs on scoring drives of 75, 61 and 72 yards in three of the first four possessions and then the game winning TD in OT. He finished 12-for-16 for 71 yards and one INT plus had a career-high eight rushes for 19 yards.
*Before the SECCG win over then No. 2 Texas, Stockton was 13-for-16 for 135 yards with two rushing yards on nine attempts last season. He saw action in four games in 2023 and was 12-for-19 for 148 yards and two TDs.
*Stockton made his first career start versus No. 5 Notre Dame in the CFP Quarterfinal Allstate Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2. He was 20-for-32 for 234 yards and a touchdown despite being sacked four times.
“Nate the Great” Frazier Leads Backfield in Second Year
Georgia’s top returning running back is 5-10, 205-pound sophomore Nate Frazier from Compton, Calif. In 2024, he burst on the scene with 84 yards on 13 carries and a TD in the season-opening win over #14 Clemson. He appeared in 13 games with three starts and led the team with 671 yards and eight TDs. He made his first start in the win over #7 Tennessee and provided 68 yards on 19 carries (tied career high) and one TD. He became the first Bulldog freshman tailback to start since 2014 when Nick Chubb and Sony Michel both did it. That year, Chubb started eight games while Michel’s first career start came in the Belk Bowl win over #20 Louisville. Frazier ran for a career-high 136 yards (most by a Bulldog in ’24) and three scores against UMass. Also, he provided the game-winning conversion in OT to beat Ga. Tech 44-42.
*Redshirt freshman Chauncey Bowens, the versatile graduate Cash Jones, Illinois graduate transfer Josh McCray (607 yards and 10 TDs last season), sophomore Dwight Phillips Jr., redshirt sophomore Roderick Robinson and freshman Bo Walker are aiming to make an impact. Also, the Bell brothers,
senior wide receiver Dillon Bell (already earned his degree), and his brother Micah, who transferred from Vanderbilt where he played DB, are options too.
Top Targets To Keep An Eye On
Last year, the Bulldogs’ top targets were seniors Dominic Lovett (59-for- 607 yards, 6 TDs) and Arian Smith (48-for-817 yards, 4 TDs) and 2025 senior Dillon Bell (43-for-466 yards, 4 TDs). Also, Bell had 107 yards rushing on nine attempts including a 3-yarder for a score at #4 Alabama.
*Other targets this season will include: junior USC transfer Zachariah Branch (47 rec., 503 yards, 1 TD in ’24) and senior Texas A&M transfer Noah Thomas (39 rec., 574 yards, 8 TDs in ’24), senior Colbie Young, who had 149 yards and two touchdowns in only five contests for UGA last year and junior London Humphreys (15 catches for 244 yards and two touchdowns). Also, redshirt freshman Sacovie White-Helton, junior Cole Speer and first- year receivers CJ Wiley, Talyn Taylor and Tyler J. Williams look to be in the mix plus Walter Blanchard, Thomas Blackshear and Landon Roldan.
New Look O-Line
Georgia was banged up for much of 2024 on the offensive line while facing the nation’s toughest schedule per ESPN’s FPI. Still, the line helped lead the Bulldogs to another SEC title. This year, the Bulldogs will have a retooled group with All-American Tate Ratledge, OG Dylan Fairchild and C Jared Wilson all getting selected in the 2025 NFL Draft while Xavier Truss (RT) also is in the league after signing as a free agent. Fairchild and Truss were the only
ones to start all 14 games last season.
The top candidates in 2025 who made starts last year will be redshirt ju- nior Drew Bobo (C) and Earnest Greene III (T), redshirt senior Micah Morris (G) and junior Monroe Freeling (T). The longest starting streak among offensive players belongs to Freeling at five games. The rotation up front may include redshirt freshman Daniel Calhoun (G/T) freshman Juan Gaston Jr.
(G/T), Bo Hughley (T/G), sophomore Jahzare Jackson (T), redshirt sophomore Jamal Meriweather (G), freshmen Cortez Smith (C/G) and Dontrell Glover and redshirt freshman Michael Uini.
Delp, Luckie Lead Loaded TE Room
Tight ends always have played a significant role in the Bulldog offense with seven currently in the NFL, and the 2025 group should be no different. Junior Lawson Luckie and senior Oscar Delp are expected to play the lead roles and redshirt freshmen Jaden Reddell and Colton Heinrich ready too.
*Luckie was the team’s fifth-leading receiver last year with 24 catches for 348 yards and three touchdowns while making seven starts. In the SECCG win over #2 Texas, Luckie provided a highlight on his lone catch and had a key TD-saving tackle following an interception that could’ve been a game-ending pick-six. Meanwhile, Delp started 10 games and completed 2024 with 21 receptions for 248 yards and four scores.
*Highly-touted freshmen Ethan Barbour (6-3, 235) and Elyiss Williams (6-7, 255) will be hard to keep off the field whether it’s on special teams or with the offense.
Defensive Playmakers at Each Level
Georgia has had 55 players drafted over the past five seasons, including 30 on defense and 11 of those defenders have gone in the first round.
*The 2024 unit ranked 23rd nationally in Scoring Defense (20.6 ppg). They did not allow a TD until the fourth game of the year and forced at least one turnover in 12 of 14 games.
*Posted first half shutouts versus #14 Clemson, Tennessee Tech and at #1 Texas
and a second half shutout of #7 Tennessee
*Held #16 Ole Miss to 28 points, including five field goals, as they came in averaging 42.1 ppg.
Setting The Tone Up Front
One of the hallmarks of an elite defense is stopping the run, and that starts up front. In 2025, Georgia is replacing a host of seasoned veterans now playing in the NFL like Mykel Williams, Nazir Stackhouse, Warren Brinson and Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. The time is now for redshirt junior Christen Miller and junior Jordan Hall to set the tone. Miller started 10 games last year. Hall battled leg injuries, limiting him to six games and has admitted that rehabbing the mental side more than the physical has been the toughest part.
*Along with Miller and Hall, look for redshirt freshmen Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, Nasir Johnson, Nnamdi Ogboko, and Jordan Thomas, redshirt sophomore transfer Josh Horton (Miami) and freshmen Elijah Griffin and JJ Hanne to be in the rotation. Allen Makes Tackles Along with His Fellow ‘Backers Junior CJ Allen ranked second in tackles behind Malaki Starks (1st round pick of Baltimore) with 76 while fellow junior Raylen Wilson posted 47 stops with seven tackles for loss. Freshmen All-SEC selections Chris Cole and Justin Williams stepped up last year when 2024 senior Smael Mondon was hurt, and that duo should be even better in 2025. The highlights for this group include:
*Allen made a career-high 10 stops versus Ga. Tech. He had a team-high eight stops and his first career interception against UF. Allen made six stops in the road win over #1 Texas and then seven in the SEC Championship Game.
*Wilson posted a career-high seven tackles against the Gators. Wilson had five tackles, a forced fumble and sack for a loss of 28 yards that led to a change of possession and Georgia’s first score in the road win over UK. He was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week.
*Cole and Williams started to make a noticeable impact as the year continued. Cole has elite speed and flexibility to help him cover along with great length. He scooped up a fumble and returned it 28 yards for a TD against UMass. It marked the first scoop and score by a Bulldog since 2020 when ILB Monty Rice did it against #14 Tennessee.
*Junior transfer Elo Modozie (Army) is predicted to play an immediate role for Georgia’s defense after tallying 34 stops, including eight tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks, last year.
*One of the most veteran linebackers, junior Gabe Harris Jr., will anchor another group including redshirt junior Terrell Foster, sophomore Quintavius Johnson, RFr. Kris Jones and freshmen Darren Ikinnagbon, Isaiah Gibson, Chase Linton, Zayden Walker and Anthony Kruah.