David Pollack Warns SEC Powerhouse Needs Better QB Play to Win Championship

Georgia has established itself as a dominant force in college football over the past five seasons.

The Bulldogs climbed to the top of the college football world in 2021, snapping a 41-year national championship drought. Georgia repeated as a national champion in 2022, becoming the first program to do so since Alabama a decade earlier.

Despite remaining at or near the top of the SEC in each of the last three seasons, Georgia has not won the ultimate prize since 2022. An SEC Championship loss to Alabama in 2023 excluded the Bulldogs from the final installment of the four-team College Football Playoff, and each of the last two seasons has ended in Sugar Bowl losses.

David Pollack addresses Georgia's national championship shortcomings

Former ESPN college football analyst and Bulldogs linebacker David Pollack understands what Georgia needs to break through for another national championship. He emphasized the need for improved quarterback play on a recent edition of his "See Ball Get Ball" podcast.

"If Gunner Stockton doesn't get better, they (Georgia) won't win a championship," Pollack said. "He has a year more of experience, he's got to step up, just like a lot of people around him will have to step up. Throwing the football, you saw moments where he learned to negotiate the rush better and not step into things. You saw growth, but he didn't finish at his best."

How does Stockton compare to the last quarterback to win Georgia a national championship?

Stetson Bennett during Georgia's 2022 spring game. — Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) throws a pass during the G-Day spring football game in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, April 16, 2022. News Joshua L Jones | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Stockton was a blue-chip prospect and is of a larger stature than Stetson Bennett, but both are of smaller statures for quarterbacks and are not afraid to help the team out with their legs.

The passing production of Stockton in 2025 is eerily similar to Bennett's production in 2021. Stockton threw for 2,894 yards, 24 touchdowns and five interceptions while Bennett threw for 2,862 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions.

The most notable difference between Stockton and Bennett are their surroundings. Bennett had the privilege of playing on an offense littered with NFL stars, including a generational tight end talent in Brock Bowers. Additionally, the Bulldogs' defenses during those seasons were among some of the most dominant in the modern era of college football.

What surrounds Stockton in 2026?

Lawson Luckie in Georgia's 2024 game against Auburn. — Georgia tight end Lawson Luckie (7) moves the ball during the first half of a NCAA college football game against Auburn in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Bulldogs retained the majority of their 2025 pieces in the trenches and in the run game, although there are new faces at wide receiver. London Humphreys is a key returnee, but Georgia Tech transfer Isiah Canion and redshirt freshman Talyn Taylor are expected to receive the bulk of the targets.

Tight ends are always an integral component of Georgia's offense. The Bulldogs return one of the top tight ends in the country in Lawson Luckie, and Kaiden Prothro is expected to be one of the most impactful freshmen across the SEC.

Defensively, the vast majority of Georgia's 2025 production is returning this season. Again, the dominance of the Bulldogs' 2021 defense is nearly impossible to replicate, but the retention should make the 2026 unit one of the more tenacious across college football.

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