The Georgia Bulldogs are exactly one week away from the start of the season, and hopes are high that the team can get right back into championship contention in 2026.

No player is more important on any football team than the quarterback, and the Dawgs are no exception to that rule headed into the year. Now in his second full season as a starter, the optimistic outlook is that Gunner Stockton is going to be able to step up his level of play and ascend to one of the best quarterbacks in the country.

In a year where his wide receivers are a little bit of a question mark, Stockton's play is going to go a long way towards determining the ceiling of the offense. Right now though, it doesn't sound like it's going to be much of a concern. According to some intel from Rusty Mansell of UGA Sports On3, Stockton is absolutely dialed in and getting it done right now in fall camp.

"Stockton has been playing his best ball of late. Pretty much every practice since the first scrimmage has been stellar," Mansell wrote. "That’s exactly what Georgia wants to see from its starting quarterback as the season gets closer."

Stockton was at his best in most of the big moments for the team throughout the regular season last year, but ultimately his production overall was a little bit up and down at times. The Dawgs need him to show a little bit more consistency and even keeled nature rather than high highs and low lows.

This is something that comes with time and experience, two things that Stockton now has on his side headed into 2026. Often, the offense is going to go as he goes, so having him at his best is going to be absolutely critical.

The reports on the offense throughout fall camp have been mixed, so hearing that Stockton has been at his best right before the season should have fans absolutely buzzing with the season looming so closely. If he really can take his play to the next level, the rest of the country had better watch out.

Georgia with dominant quarterback play is flat out dangerous, and it sounds like Stockton is knocking on the door of a huge campaign for the Bulldogs in a 2026 season where a national title is the expectation.