NCAAF News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Newsletter

Power Rankings

Paul Finebaum Names 'Biggest Issue' With National Championship Contender

SEC Nation analyst Paul Finebaum looks on prior to the game. Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Paul Finebaum Names 'Biggest Issue' With National Championship Contender

Originally posted on CFB-HQ on SI | By Jaron Spor | Last updated Apr 18, 2026 4:00 PM ET

Add us as a preferred source on Google

The Georgia Bulldogs were once viewed as the new gold standard of college football after winning back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022. When Nick Saban retired from Alabama in 2023, it seemed like the path was clear for Georgia to take full control of the sport.

However, that next step has not fully materialized. The program has not won a playoff game since securing the national title in 2022. Still, Georgia has won back-to-back SEC Championship Games and remains firmly in the contender tier.

That creates an interesting reality where success is still present, but it no longer feels dominant in the same way.

Head coach Kirby Smart has built one of the most stable programs in college football. His teams are consistently among the most disciplined and typically field elite defenses.

That level of consistency keeps Georgia in every championship conversation, but it also raises expectations to a point where simply contending is no longer enough.

That foundation is why Georgia remains dangerous every season, even with clear roster questions. One of the biggest reasons for optimism entering this season is the return of quarterback Gunner Stockton.

Stockton threw for 2,894 yards, 24 touchdowns, and five interceptions last season while adding 462 rushing yards and 10 scores. His dual-threat ability provides flexibility within the offense. On paper, that production suggests stability, but the overall offensive performance tells a more complicated story.

Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Some fans have expressed frustration with Stockton’s play, but Paul Finebaum pushed back on that narrative during "The Paul Finebaum Show," pointing instead to offensive coordinator Mike Bobo.

"I don't think Gunner was really the problem last year," Finebaum said. "I think critical play calling at the end of the Ole Miss game was maybe the biggest issue."

That distinction matters. If the quarterback is not the primary issue, then the spotlight naturally shifts to the structure of the offense itself. Bobo has become a frequent target for criticism, which is common for coordinators, but in this case, the numbers support the concern.

In his first season, Georgia had the No. 5-ranked offense in 2023. Since then, the unit has declined significantly, finishing No. 51 in 2024 and No. 50 in 2025. That drop is not minor; it represents a clear step back for a program with championship expectations.

At a place like Georgia, offensive regression becomes magnified because the standard is not just efficiency, it is dominance. The defense continues to perform at a high level, but without an offense that can consistently match it, the ceiling of the team becomes limited.

If Bobo does not correct those issues, the pressure will only continue to build. This is not just about fan frustration; it is about whether the current offensive approach is enough to win at the highest level in modern college football.

Georgia still has the roster, coaching stability, and defensive identity to compete for championships. But until the offense shows it can return to an elite level, this program feels closer to a consistent contender than an inevitable champion.

This article first appeared on CFB-HQ on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: