Carson Beck is reportedly trending toward missing Georgia’s second-round College Football Playoff game.
Beck exited the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 7 with a right elbow injury. Georgia’s 22-19 overtime victory over Texas at least provided more time to assess its quarterback situation. The Bulldogs will face either Notre Dame or Indiana in a quarterfinal matchup on Jan. 1.
According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Beck is expected to miss the Sugar Bowl. He’s been away from the team since Georgia returned to practice late last week and is seeking additional opinions from doctors on his UCL injury.
Beck started a promising season as a Heisman candidate with a chance to fortify his 2025 draft stock as a first-rounder. But after throwing six interceptions last season, he threw 12 in six games. That stretch started with three in a 41-34 loss to Alabama.
The 6-foot-4 quarterback appeared to turn the corner by tossing 11 touchdowns to no picks in three victories. Beck kept the team’s conference title hopes alive by amassing 297 yards and five touchdowns in an eight-overtime win over Georgia Tech.
Beck completed seven of 13 passes for 56 yards before leaving the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. He returned to hand off the ball on the game-ending touchdown run after his replacement, Gunner Stockton, took a big hit.
If Beck sits, Stockton is positioned to start the Sugar Bowl. The sophomore, who had previously played in two blowout wins this season, went 12-of-16 for 71 yards, an interception, and two sacks.
Head coach Kirby Smart believes Stockton can handle his first career start in a massive situation.
“The team has a lot of confidence in Gunner,” He’s very smart, very intelligent,” Smart said last week, per DawgNation’s Connor Riley. “So I don’t know that it’s a lot of change. It’s probably more picking the volume correctly in terms of not having everything that we have with Carson, but having things that fit Gunner.”
