Paul Finebaum Names College Football Powerhouse No One Fears Anymore

"We are not talking about your pedestrian, run-of-the-mill program," Finebaum said. "We are talking about Georgia. When Mike Bobo went there, Georgia was the best team in college football. They were elite. People feared them. Does anybody fear Georgia right now?"

Georgia's Offensive Struggles Under Offensive Coordinator Mike Bobo

A common criticism of Georgia fans revolves around Bobo. He was hired to replace Todd Monken, who became the offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens after helping lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships.

Since Bobo took over, Georgia finished No. 5 in total offense in 2023 but dropped to No. 51 in 2024. In 2023, the Bulldogs had the No. 21 ranked rushing attack and the No. 11 ranked passing attack. However, those numbers fell to No. 102 in rushing and No. 12 in passing in 2024. Georgia was also one of the top teams in drops last season.

Under his leadership, Carson Beck had two impressive seasons as the starting quarterback, throwing for 7,426 yards, 52 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. Despite his success, he was unable to lead Georgia to a national championship. After last season, Beck decided to transfer to the Miami Hurricanes.

Paul Finebaum Isn't Sold on QB Gunner Stockton

Beck is set to be replaced by Gunner Stockton, who filled in for the injured Beck during the second half of the SEC Championship Game and in the College Football Playoff game. Despite this, Finebaum isn't very optimistic about Stockton's performance.

“My answer is no,” Finebaum previously said. “I don’t have a lot of faith in Gunner Stockton. The better question is, do I have more faith in Gunner Stockton today than I did in Stetson Bennett four or five years ago? I probably do. So, it’s proven that Georgia, if it has an elite defense and enough complements on offense, can get there.”

Stockton is entering the 2025 season with limited playing experience, having participated in only five games last season. During those appearances, he passed for a total of 440 yards and one touchdown. Stockton made a significant impact by leading the Bulldogs to an overtime victory against the Texas Longhorns, securing the SEC title after stepping in for Beck, who was injured in the first half.

The Bulldogs secured a 22-19 victory, highlighted by Stockton’s 8-yard run on second-and-8 from the 12-yard line during overtime. On the following play, Trevor Etienne rushed in for the game-winning touchdown from four yards out.

Georgia faced a tough playoff quarterfinal match against Notre Dame, while having difficulties on offense throughout the game. Stockton completed 20-of-32 passes for a total of 234 yards and one touchdown.

Georgia will begin the season at home against the Marshall Thundering Herd at 3:30 p.m. ET on August 30.