January 2 was a tough day for the Georgia Bulldogs. Not not were they eliminated from the College Football Playoffs, but did so to a team who haven’t won any major bowl games in three decades. Despite Georgia outgaining Notre Dame 294 yards to 213, Kirby Smart’s team couldn’t pull it off when it mattered.

It’s evident that neither Carson Beck nor Gunner Stockton exactly set the world on fire, and with a shaky offensive line and Riley Leonard playing like a video game character, Georgia couldn’t get it together this year. But hold up; with NILs in play, Kirby Smart isn’t done…

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The HC—who joined the Dawgs’ arsenal in 2015—is reportedly poised to mount a befitting comeback if we are to listen to industry insider.

In a video aired January 13, Paul Finebaum sat down with That SEC Football podcast’s Mike Bratton on The Paul Finebaum podcast, where Finebaum asked, “We have three SEC teams in the playoffs…let’s talk about, you mentioned Texas, let’s get to Georgia and Tennessee as we close down the season for the elite teams of the SEC. What do you see coming up next year?”

After a heartbreaking season that cannot be judged by their overall record (11-3), Georgia football is seemingly going all-in in terms of NIL because this time it’s all about playing all your cards right. As Mike says revealed, “Well, Kirby Smart and Georgia are finally spending in NIL, bringing in some big transfers at the receiver position. So, uh, maybe a little bit of a revenge tour.

You know, they have had mock revenge tours claiming seven and five was their prediction. No one in their right mind predicted that. But people are burying the SEC. I think they’re burying Kirby Smart and particularly his offense.” Mike is not wrong about the NIL, as the future looks massive for the Dawgs.

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“Now with Carson Beck, of course, jumping to Miami…I wonder if there’s a little internal motivation that that wasn’t there the last couple of years. I think Georgia is still the team to beat in the SEC quarterback. And offensive coordinator is still a big question. Not saying those are bad positions, but I don’t know if they have Championship players and coaches in those positions, but still I think Georgia, as long as Kirby smarts down there running the defensive team, is the team to beat.”

Now, where teams like Michigan are out there paying hefty amounts to the players, how come Georgia will back out? With Gov. Brian Kemp paving the way for Georgia, his chances of athletes cashing in are even bigger. When the House vs. NCAA settlement lands, student-athletes could see up to $22 million in payouts, which is just double their last year’s $12 million roster salary. It’s clear the Bulldogs are setting the pace, building a system where players get rewarded now and in the future.

Talking about the revenge tour, Carson Beck hitting the portal instead of the NFL? Yeah, that probably hit Kirby Smart like a bad snap in the fourth quarter. The guy was a top-five QB draft prospect but dipped for Miami instead of sticking with the Dawgs. Sure, Georgia’s got Gunner Stockton, the QB Kirby supposedly trusts. Stockton did his thing against Notre Dame, throwing for 234 yards on 20-of-32, but let’s be real: Georgia needs a lot of fixing, and Stockton alone can’t make it happen.

Even though Kirby Smart expertly used NIL to recruit receivers from the portal like Noah Thomas and Zachariah Branch for supporting his quarterback, let’s be honest: Georgia’s rushing attack is at 102nd position, with their offensive line allowing 25 sacks, and they lead the nation in dropped passes (36). Those statistics aren’t exactly championship-worthy. So, can Gunner Stockton carry the Dawgs?

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Kirby Smart’s team keeps losing key talent to the portal

Just a week ago, Jaden Rashada made a surprising departure from Georgia football without even playing a snap. Losing him definitely hurts.

Another unexpected move was Carson Beck’s decision to enter the transfer portal instead of the NFL draft. Although his early performances were rough, he was starting to show improvement. If he had stayed for another year, he could have made a significant impact for the Dawgs. The transfer portal has been buzzing, and Georgia is definitely feeling the effects.

Already, nine players have left, and experts predict that 10-20 more could follow. The reason? NIL, baby. This isn’t old-school college football anymore. Players no longer wait around for their chance; they are now driven by financial opportunities and the desire for playing time. If they feel overlooked, they will quickly pack their bags, enter the transfer portal, and end up playing for teams like Notre Dame.

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It’s a harsh reality, but that’s the game now. Kirby Smart has one chance to change the narrative: he must secure Florida Gators QB Deshawn Purdie, who just entered the transfer portal. Purdie is the type of player who can fill the gaps in the roster and provide much-needed firepower for the Dawgs with his experience.

Ina world where loyalty is rare and NIL rules, Kirby must go all out. Snagging Purdie wouldn’t just be a win—it’d be a statement that Georgia isn’t going down without a fight.

Carson Beck, the former Georgia Bulldog QB, flipped the script but not the narrative. His sudden jump to Miami sent shockwaves through the college football world. While some analysts saw it coming, it wasn’t exactly a party. Let’s be real, Georgia fans weren’t thrilled. Sure, #CarsonBeck was trending last week, but die-hard Dawgs never wavered. They trusted Kirby Smart and his QB, even when Beck threw more picks than touchdowns in a single game. They believed in the process, that their guy would bounce back. And he did.

But at what price? After a couple of stellar games, Beck’s season ended abruptly with that nasty injury against Texas. And he eventually pulled the rug on his more than half-decade-long tenure at Athens

Carson Beck received sharp flakes from ex-Georgia QB

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The economics of Carson Beck returning to school made a lot of sense. Beck initially decided to go pro, but his NFL draft stock took a sudden hit with the injury and the overall underwhelming season stat. If he were to choose to be drafted, he would likely be selected in the second or third round and might be overshadowed by the other top prospect.

And coming to the money, the main needle mover, Beck, reportedly draws more than former Georgia QB Steson Bennet, a fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft, and the current standout of the Los Angeles Rams. He is earning $1.03 million as base salary during the 2025 NFL season when Beck signed up for an over $4 million deal with the Hurricanes. His combined NIL deals stand at $10 million as per front office sports. But Aaron Murray still didn’t deem it a wise call.

People have been teasing Hanna Cavinder (Miami basketball player), the ‘QB Lady Luck,’ about her potential influence on Murray’s decision to go to Miami. Even Herbert, Murray’s co-host, couldn’t resist. He played a clip from Cavinder’s Instagram where she and her QB boyfriend were vibing to ‘It’s All About the You’ just weeks after his Miami announcement. Herbert called it a ‘betrayal,’ but Murray, while not directly condemning it, saw a touch of immaturity in their public display.

The former Georgia QB said, “That’s immaturity and not understanding what you’re losing the rest of your life by doing something like this.” “Not essentially just play it lowkey, appreciate Georgia, appreciate my time; this just felt like a natural next step in my evolution as a quarterback, good opportunity, but to do little things like this just pi-s off a fanbase that has really supported you for four years, ” stated the Snabs podcast co-host, Murray.

Top Comment by Keeping it real

Beck is a bust. This feels like Johnny Manzel all over again. Beck doesn’t strike me as a young man…more

Carson Beck and his girl have had a lot from the fans, and most of it doesn’t taste like sweet and sugar. When Beck has eaten up interception after interception in the early games against Alabama and Florida, Hanna silently took all the heat from the social media pundits.

They directly blamed her for all of Beck’s setbacks and made her a subject to trolls with no mercy. You can justify his move on this ground, but Paul Finebaum will wake you up with another pointer.

Paul Finebaum calls out Carson Beck with a pointed comparison

Analyst Paul Finebaum has never been a Carson Beck fan. Before the Dawgs got themselves out of the championship race, Paul was asked whether he thinks Georgia can make it to the playoffs without Beck or not. Finebaum didn’t pause a second to answer. He clearly noted that Beck wasn’t such a crucial factor that could make or break a team on a big game day. So it doesn’t matter!

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But now, as the kid left for Miami, dumping Kirby Smart, nobody is more mad than Paul. He showcased empathy for Smart, noting it would really be horrible for the coach to see his QB enter the NFL draft and then get traded to Miami. But Paul specified what pissed him the most.

It’s not the Georgia departure. The journalist couldn’t wrap his head around Beck trading in his SEC Dawg tag for an ACC adventure. “The fact that Carson Beck didn’t stay at Georgia doesn’t surprise me. But the man’s going to the ACC after being the Heisman favorite in August at Georgia,” he said.

He then drew a comparison to Caleb Downs, who entered the portal, flirted with a Georgia home coming from Alabama, and then chose Ohio State. Paul threw a slight shade at Beck’s future role with the Canes, noting how Downs’ presence didn’t do much against a Notre Dame game.

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However, regardless of the debate, Beck is laughing and letting it go, looking at his bank.

Three Georgia players that Georgia fans need to be buying stock in ahead of the 2025 college football season.

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Gabe Harris (29) reacts after making a tackle against the Ball State Cardinals during the second half at Sanford Stadium.

Georgia Bulldogs linebacker Gabe Harris (29) reacts after making a tackle against the Ball State Cardinals during the second half at Sanford Stadium.

Three Georgia players that Georgia fans need to be buying stock in ahead of the 2025 college football season.

The Georgia Bulldogs are still waiting to officially hear from a couple of players in regards to their decision on the NFL, but for the most part, everyone kind of has an idea of what next year’s team is going to look like. That even includes the starting quarterback job even though there will certainly be a competition this spring.

With that said though, there are some Georgia players entering the 2025 season that could very well have a big season. Players that if they had a stock market value on them today, they would be smart purchases because the value is only going to go up from here. So here are a few names that fans need to be buying stock in.

It’s a thin position for Georgia after Damon Wilson elected to hit the portal, Jalon Walker entered the draft and Chaz Chambliss is likely headed in the same direction despite not having an official announcement from him. That leaves Harris as really one of the only players that has in-game experience, or at least a solid amount of it, on the roster. This past season he finished with four tackles for loss and two sacks and with an increase in opportunities for him, you expect those numbers to see an increase as well.

Aguero was a starter for Georgia this season and played well. His name wasn’t necessarily making the headlines and there wasn’t a lot of chatter around his name, but Aguero had a very solid season in his first year starting. The trend for Georgia defensive backs tends to be consistent improvement over every single season and if that holds true for Aguero, he could very well become a focal point of Georgia’s defense next year. It wouldn’t be the first time Georgia’s STAR was a high impact player.

Bell is one of a few players who announced they are returning for another season. Many expected Bell to have a monster season in 2024 but things just didn’t pan out that way. However, with some changes coming to the offense, it could be very beneficial for Bell.

Those changes include talented wide receivers being added to the roster as Zachariah Branch and Noah Thomas. Specifically, Thomas is being added to the roster because he can fill the X-position and allow Bell to play at Z, which is probably where he can be the most impactful. However, Bell had to be plugged into there due to circumstances last season.

If that is how things work out for Bell though, a big 2025 campaign could be on his doorstep.

Changes are coming at quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs, and it appears that head coach Kirby Smart could add another veteran to next season’s competition. The Dawgs lost starting quarterback Carson Beck to the Miami Hurricanes via the college football transfer portal.

Beck’s move to the portal came as a surprise after the quarterback previously announced his intention to enter the 2025 NFL Draft. Instead, Beck joins a Miami program who could be competing against Georgia as one of the handful of college football programs viewed as potential title contenders heading into 2025.

Former highly touted signal-caller Jaden Rashada is also set to enter the transfer portal. Georgia could turn to Gunner Stockton as a permanent solution to the team’s QB1 question, but the program would be wise to add some competition this offseason.

The Bulldogs also have Ryan Puglisi on the roster and added four-star recruit Ryan Montgomery in the 2025 class. Now, Georgia appears to be in a transfer portal battle with their SEC rival Florida Gators for another quarterback.

Carson Beck

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart is in search of a replacement for quarterback Carson Beck.

On3.com’s Pete Nakos reported that Florida and Georgia are among the teams that have been in contact with Buffalo Bulls quarterback C.J. Ogbonna.

“Florida and Georgia have been in contact with a transfer quarterback, On3 has learned,” Nakos wrote on Monday. “Buffalo quarterback C.J. Ogbonna has received interest from the Gators and Bulldogs since entering the transfer portal last week, his agent Bryan Miller told On3.

“The Bulls starting quarterback threw for 2,381 yards and 19 touchdowns this season. He also rushed for 343 yards and eight touchdowns. A former Southeast Missouri State transfer, he’s thrown for 3,995 career yards and 32 touchdowns with 15 interceptions.”

If the Dawgs are able to land Ogbonna, then the quarterback is far from a lock to be the team’s QB1 but could compete for the gig. Ogbonna is a product of Wheeler High School in Marietta, Ga., an Atlanta suburb that is a short drive from Athens.

During the 2024 season, Ogbonna threw for 2,381 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 56.5% of his passes at Buffalo. Ogbonna is also a threat with his legs, adding 343 rushing yards and eight TDs on the ground in 2024.