The 2026 Georgia Bulldogs football team represents the University of Georgia as a member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) during the 2026 NCAA DivisionI FBS football season. The team is led by eleventh-year head coach Kirby Smart and plays home games at Sanford Stadium.
Georgia entered the season ranked No.3 in both the AP and Coaches polls. The Bulldogs opened the season facing two non-conference opponents, with a 63–3 victory over Tennessee State (rising to AP No.2 in Week1) followed by a 70–20 win against Western Kentucky. In their SEC opener, Georgia defeated Arkansas 45–17 on the road, followed by wins against Oklahoma (41–13, in their first game as conference opponents) and Vanderbilt (38–14). Georgia remained ranked No.2 through Week5. The upcoming game against Alabama (No.6) will be their first against a ranked opponent.
The Bulldogs' remaining schedule consists entirely of conference games except for the Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate rivalry game against Georgia Tech on Thanksgiving weekend, which will conclude the regular season.
Offseason
Offseason departures
NFL draftees
Player Round Pick Team Position Monroe Freeling 1 19 Carolina Panthers T Christen Miller 2 42 New Orleans Saints DT CJ Allen 2 53 Indianapolis Colts LB Oscar Delp 3 73 New Orleans Saints TE Zachariah Branch 3 79 Atlanta Falcons WR Daylen Everette 3 85 Pittsburgh Steelers CB Colbie Young 4 140 Cincinnati Bengals WR Micah Morris 6 207 Philadelphia Eagles G Dillon Bell Undrafted Minnesota Vikings WR Brett Thorson Undrafted Minnesota Vikings P Noah Thomas Undrafted Cincinnati Bengals WR Beau Gardner Undrafted Chicago Bears LS Cash Jones Undrafted Atlanta Falcons RB
Transfer portal Thirteen Georgia Bulldogs players entered the NCAA transfer portal during or after the 2025 season. During the offseason, Georgia added eleven players from the transfer portal.
Departures Departing transfers Name No. Pos. Height/weight Class Hometown New school Sources #0 RB 6'1", 235 lbs San Diego, CA UAB #7 CB 6'3", 195 lbs Miami, FL California #8 CB 5'11", 205 lbs Lynn, MA Ole Miss #12 S 6'0", 200 lbs Atlanta, GA Kansas #14 S 6'1", 200 lbs Conyers, GA Kansas State #18 OLB 6'4", 248 lbs Jacksonville, FL Purdue #23 CB 6'0", 195 lbs Nashville, TN NC State #24 CB 6'1", 190 lbs Bradenton, FL Ohio State #28 LB 6'2", 230 lbs Fairfax, VA Boston College #55 OT 6'7", 295 lbs Fairburn, GA Colorado #72 OT 6'7", 305 lbs Brunswick, GA Miami (FL) #79 OT 6'8", 345 lbs Oradell, NJ Tarleton State #92 DL 6'5", 315 lbs Ramsey, NJ South Carolina
Incoming Incoming transfers Name No. Pos. Height/weight Year Hometown Prev. school Sources Isiah Canion #6 WR 6'4", 215 Junior Warner Robins, GA Georgia Tech Khalil Barnes #7 S 6'0", 200 Senior Athens, GA Clemson Ja'Marley Riddle #12 S 6'0", 182 Junior Kingsland, GA East Carolina Amaris Williams #17 OLB 6'2", 260 Junior Clinton, NC Auburn Bryson Beaver #18 QB 6'2", 200 Freshman Murrieta, CA Oregon Dante Dowdell #22 RB 6'2", 225 Senior Picayune, MS Kentucky Braylon Conley #24 DB 6'0", 190 Junior Humble, TX USC Jake Bobo #25 QB 6'0", 200 Sophomore Athens, GA Samford Gentry Williams #26 DB 5'11", 187 Fifth Year Tulsa, OK Oklahoma TyQuez Richardson #79 OL 6'5", 330 Junior Atlanta, GA Alabama A&M Brody Tolbert #83 WR 6'1", 180 Sophomore Bogart, GA Samford
Returning starters
Name No. Pos. Hometown Source Gunner Stockton #14 QB Tiger, GA Nate Frazier #3 RB Compton, CA Lawson Luckie #7 TE Norcross, GA Dontrell Glover #63 RG Fairburn, GA Earnest Greene #71 T Los Angeles, CA Drew Bobo #74 C Athens, GA Jordan Hall #44 DT Jacksonville, FL Raylen Wilson #5 LB Tallahassee, FL Quintavius Johnson #3 LB Atlanta, GA Gabe Harris Jr. #0 EDGE Thomasville, GA KJ Bolden #4 S Buford, GA Kyron Jones #31 S Charlotte, NC Ellis Robinson IV #1 CB New Haven, CT
G-Day
Georgia's final spring practice, annually open to the public and known as "G-Day", took place at 1:00p.m. on April18, 2026. The scrimmage was broadcast on ESPN+ and SECN+, with the Red team defeating the Black team by a score of 27–17.
Schedule
On September5, the Bulldogs played the Tennessee State Tigers for the first time in program history, winning 63–3.
On September12, they played the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers for the second time, the first being a 48–12 victory in 2006; Georgia won 7020. On September26, the Bulldogs played Oklahoma for the second time in program history, the first time being the 2018 Rose Bowl where the Bulldogs prevailed 54–48 in double-overtime.
Due to renovations at EverBank Stadium, the rivalry game against Florida will not be held in Jacksonville for the first time since 1995, instead being held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Rankings
Game summaries Tennessee State (FCS)
Uniform combinationHelmetJerseyPants Georgia's first game of the season was against FCS opponent Tennessee State. Tennessee State had played its first game of the season the previous week in the John Merritt Classic against Jackson State, losing 26–24. Georgia paid Tennessee State $600,000 to play the game. Georgia won decisively 63–3.
Georgia received the opening kickoff and scored on its first drive when Nate Frazier ran 48 yards for a touchdown, the first of the season. Tennessee State went three-and-out on its opening possession before Frazier scored his second touchdown on a 14-yard run, giving Georgia a 14–0 lead. After another Tennessee State punt, Gunner Stockton threw a three-yard touchdown pass to Elyiss Williams to extend the lead to 21–0. On Georgia's next possession, Stockton connected with Talyn Taylor for an 11-yard touchdown, giving the Bulldogs a 28–0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Stockton opened the second quarter with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Reddell, his third touchdown pass of the game. After another Tiger punt, Tennessee State stopped Georgia's offense for the first time by forcing a turnover on downs. From there, the Tigers steadily moved the ball against the Georgia defense and scored their first points of the afternoon, on a 37-yard field goal by Preston Hurless. Georgia entered halftime leading 35–3.
The Tigers received the opening kickoff of the second half but were forced to punt after a three-play drive. Georgia responded with Frazier's third rushing touchdown of the game, a three-yard run that extended the lead to 42–3. On the Bulldogs' next possession, backup quarterback Ryan Puglisi threw a 16-yard touchdown pass to Kaiden Prothro, giving Georgia a 49–3 lead entering the fourth quarter. Georgia scored two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter, including a 54-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Montgomery to Jeremy Bell and an 11-yard touchdown run by Jae Lamar, to finish with a 63–3 victory.
Statistics TNSTUGA First downs 10 31 Plays–yards 58–109 60–660 Rushes–yards 32–10 27–272 Passing yards 99 388 Passing: –– 15–26–0 25–33–0 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 31:33 28:27 Team Category Player Statistics Tennessee State Passing Daylin Lee 11/19, 62 yards Rushing Trevor Pearson 5 carries, 14 yards Receiving Cam Bulluck 4 receptions, 28 yards Georgia Passing Gunner Stockton 15/16, 202 yards, 3 TD Rushing Nate Frazier 4 carries, 72 yards, 3 TD Receiving Jeremy Bell 1 reception, 54 yards, TD
Western Kentucky
Uniform combinationHelmetJerseyPants Georgia, ranked No. 2 going into the game, wore white helmets, jerseys, and pants for the first time in program history, accompanied by a "whiteout" in the crowd. The Bulldogs paid Western Kentucky (WKU) $1.9million for the matchup. Georgia defeated WKU 7020.
On the opening kickoff, AJ Kruah forced a fumble that was recovered by Demello Jones, giving Georgia possession inside the WKU red zone. The Bulldogs converted the turnover into a touchdown when Gunner Stockton connected with Ethan Barbour for a 7-yard score. After a three-and-out by WKU, Nate Frazier rushed for a 7-yard touchdown to extend Georgia's lead to 14–0. Following another Hilltopper punt, Stockton found Chauncey Bowens for a 21-yard touchdown, with Bowens hurdling a defender on his way into the end zone to give Georgia a 21–0 lead with 7:37 remaining in the first quarter. WKU then advanced into Georgia territory, but Gabe Harris Jr. sacked quarterback Rodney Tisdale Jr. for a 9-yard loss, forcing the Hilltoppers to punt. Georgia responded with an 80-yard drive that ended with a touchdown reception by London Humphreys. After another WKU punt, Stockton found Sacovie White-Helton for a 70-yard touchdown. WKU then threw an interception, giving Georgia possession in Hilltopper territory, and Stockton threw his fifth touchdown pass of the game to Talyn Taylor. After another WKU fumble, Landon Roldan scored on a 9-yard run to give Georgia a 49–0 lead. WKU replaced Tisdale with Brock Glenn, who led the Hilltoppers to a first down before they were forced to punt. Georgia backup quarterback Ryan Puglisi then fumbled, and Glenn scored on a 15-yard run for WKU's first touchdown. Georgia led 49–6 at halftime.
Puglisi opened the second half with a 70-yard run, extending Georgia's lead to 56–6. Later in the quarter, a deflected pass was recovered by Georgia defender Blake Stewart, who returned it toward the end zone before fumbling. The ball was recovered by Tyriq Green in the endzone for a Georgia touchdown. After a series of punts, WKU put together a four-play, 64-yard drive that ended with another touchdown run by Glenn. On the ensuing kickoff, Green returned the ball 91 yards for a touchdown, Georgia's first kickoff return touchdown since 2016. WKU scored one more touchdown before the game ended with Georgia winning 70–20. Georgia's 70 points were its most in a game since 1994.
Statistics WKUUGA First downs 17 18 Plays–yards 74–225 60–493 Rushes–yards 37–110 35–234 Passing yards 115 259 Passing: –– 18–37–2 16–25–0 Turnovers 4 2 Time of possession 31:06 28:54 Team Category Player Statistics Western Kentucky Passing Brock Glenn 12/23, 84 yards, TD, INT Rushing Brock Glenn 13 carries, 70 yards, 2 TD Receiving Quincy Burroughs 2 receptions, 29 yards Georgia Passing Gunner Stockton 13/16, 234 yards, 5 TD Rushing Ryan Puglisi 2 carries, 79 yards, TD Receiving Sacovie White-Helton 1 reception, 70 yards, TD
at Arkansas
Uniform combinationHelmetJerseyPants This was the 17thmatchup between Arkansas and Georgia, with UGA leading 124 going into the game. Arkansas head coach Ryan Silverfield is in his first year with the Razorbacks.
Statistics UGAARK First downs 23 18 Plays–yards 63–464 62–300 Rushes–yards 42–254 20–17 Passing yards 210 283 Passing: –– 17–21–0 29–42–0 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 35:40 24:20 Team Category Player Statistics Georgia Passing Gunner Stockton 10/13, 147 yards, TD Rushing Gunner Stockton 7 carries, 97 yards Receiving Craig Dandridge 3 receptions, 74 yards, TD Arkansas Passing KJ Jackson 20/27, 212 yards, TD Rushing Sutton Smith 6 carries, 17 yards, TD Receiving Chris Marshall 7 receptions, 104 yards
Oklahoma
Uniform combinationHelmetJerseyPants Coming into the game, the Bulldogs had faced the Sooners only once, at the 2018 Rose Bowl; Georgia won that matchup 54–48.
Statistics OUUGA First downs 16 12 Plays–yards 69−296 53−307 Rushes–yards 35−65 26−130 Passing yards 231 177 Passing: –– 25−34−1 15−27−1 Turnovers 4 2 Time of possession 35:27 24:33 Team Category Player Statistics Oklahoma Passing John Mateer 25/34, 231 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Lloyd Avant 10 carries, 23 yards Receiving Rocky Beers 8 receptions, 84 yards, TD Georgia Passing Gunner Stockton 14/25, 171 yards, TD, INT Rushing Dwight Phillips Jr. 8 carries, 84 yards, TD Receiving Talyn Taylor 4 receptions, 110 yards, TD
Vanderbilt (rivalry)
Uniform combinationHelmetJerseyPants Georgia and Vanderbilt have a long history and an ongoing rivalry. The teams had met 83times since 1893, with the Bulldogs leading 61202.
The week before the game, Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea is "super intelligent," and credited him with building "a great program, a great team."