It's do-or-die for Georgia and declining QB Carson Beck

The past several seasons have seen the University of Georgia ascend to the apex of college football. The Dawgs won back-to-back national titles in 2021 and 2022 and were a game away from playing in their third consecutive college football playoff last year. Entering the 2024 campaign, many expected Georgia to pick right back up where they left off, with most outlets pegging them as the odds-on national title favorites.

Much of this was due to senior quarterback Carson Beck returning for his second season at the helm of the Dawgs’ offense. Coming off a stellar first year under center, Beck received more preseason fanfare and hype than any Georgia quarterback since Matthew Stafford. From being the odds-on Heisman Trophy favorite to most draft analysts having him as the best quarterback in next year’s NFL draft, Beck and Georgia appeared to be on track for another national championship-winning year.

Fast-forward to now, though; almost all of that has gone entirely out the window. Beck has seen his draft stock plummet, his Heisman hopes have long since been dashed and Georgia currently sits at 7-2 with no further margin for error. Beck’s regression has been jarring, putting his team in a position nobody considered possible. 

Last season, Beck was outstanding, throwing for 3,941 yards, 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions on an SEC-leading 72.4 completion percentage. Through just nine games this season, his completion percentage has dropped to a pedestrian 65.4, and in the last five games alone, he’s thrown 12 interceptions. Looking at the statistics side by side, it becomes apparent that whatever Beck had last year that made him so compelling is missing.