No. 5 Georgia defeated Marshall 45-7 on Saturday. Following the game, Red & Black assistant sports editor Ben Kule graded each position group’s performance.
Quarterbacks
Gunner Stockton was under the spotlight in his first career start in Athens. The new face of Georgia football got off to a hot start, leading the Bulldogs to touchdowns on their first two drives. Stockton connected with transfer wide receiver Zachariah Branch for 25 yards on the first drive, and added 21 rushing yards. On the second drive, Stockton completed a handful of checkdowns before scrambling for a 13-yard touchdown with his legs. Stockton further displayed his mobility by adding a second rushing touchdown in the second quarter. Before being rested for the remainder of the game, Stockton found Branch for a 47-yard score and London Humphreys for a 2-yard score, ending his day with four total touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Ryan Puglisi led three drives after entering the game, connecting with fellow youngster Elyiss Williams for a touchdown on the first. Arguably more important than the touchdowns were Stockton and Puglisi’s lack of mistakes. Neither quarterback recorded any turnovers, which were a consistent problem last season. Nevertheless, Stockton proved the Bulldogs can be legitimate championship contenders with him at the helm.
Grade: A
Running backs
It was clear that Marshall made it a priority to bottle up the run as much as possible, leading to Stockton doing a lot of the rushing himself. Because of this, starting running back Nate Frazier had a relatively quiet game, toting the ball 11 times for 47 yards. While Frazier might be used more as a bell cow in more intense matchups, Georgia had the luxury to test out virtually its entire running back room in this one. Dwight Phillips Jr. was the only back to record a touchdown, and he had 60 yards on his five carries. Freshmen Chauncey Bowens and Bo Walker both had six carries, with Bowens rushing for 33 yards and Walker for 20. With quarterback rushing yards removed, as well as a rush from wide receiver Dillon Bell that lost six yards, the running backs overall averaged 5.1 yards per rush. While the Marshall defense did everything in its power to prevent a huge performance from any Georgia running back, the Bulldogs proved multiple guys could be trusted throughout the year.
Grade: B
Wide receivers
Branch starred in his Bulldogs debut, leading the team in receptions (3) and receiving yards (95). He showed off his speed and elite athleticism, making defenders miss and taking one of his three catches to the house. London Humphreys also recorded three receptions and a touchdown, but had just eight yards. Colbie Young was also involved in the passing game, with two catches for 30 yards. Some of Georgia’s receivers with high expectations didn’t make a big impact, however. Bell had just one catch for zero yards, and promising transfer from Texas A&M Noah Thomas did not record any stats. Much like the running backs, while no receiver posted a jaw-dropping stat line, the group displayed its depth and proved it could make big plays when necessary.
Grade: B+
Tight ends
Georgia’s tight end room this year is one of the most exciting position groups on the team, and it didn’t disappoint on Saturday. Oscar Delp, who is poised for a big season, led the crew by hauling in two passes for 33 yards. Lawson Luckie had just one catch for six yards, but blocked effectively and opened up other options for Stockton. When Elyiss Williams, the fourth-ranked tight end recruit in the 2025 class according to 247Sports, entered the game late, he took his first collegiate catch for a 23-yard score. The tight ends did their job in multiple facets to contribute to a dominant win over Marshall.
Grade: A-
Offensive Line
Perhaps the most concerning position group was the offensive line. Though Georgia ran the ball effectively, the line did not get the type of push that it probably should have against a Marshall defensive front that it matched up well with on paper. The offensive line also struggled to pick up blitzes and allowed heavy pressure on Stockton on several occasions, forcing him to flush out of the pocket. In fact, the Georgia line allowed 10 pressures and seven quarterback hurries, which could be worrying for when the Bulldogs play an SEC defensive line. Freshman lineman Juan Gaston also left the game with an ankle injury, depleting an already inexperienced unit.
Grade: B-
Defensive Line
Georgia’s defense made Marshall uncomfortable all game, starting with the defensive line. Although the Bulldogs didn’t record a sack, they consistently disrupted plays in the backfield, stuffing runs and applying pressure. Marshall was only able to rush for 78 total yards, and averaged just 2.5 yards per carry, with Marshall’s starting running back Jo’Shon Barbie rushing for just 14 yards on seven attempts.
Grade: B+
Linebackers
While the defensive line did their job to silence the run game, it was the linebackers who brought the most intense pressure. Raylen Wilson had a standout game, recording seven total tackles and two tackles for a loss. Gabe Harris Jr. had two tackles, both for a loss, and Chris Cole had five total tackles, with one for a loss. The linebackers also forced the Marshall quarterbacks to look outside, not opening up much for short gains over the middle.
Grade: A
Defensive backs
Zachariah wasn’t the only Branch to transfer from USC and make an immediate impact for the Bulldogs. Zion Branch tied Wilson for a team-leading seven total tackles, preventing Marshall from converting many long plays. Branch also made a touchdown-saving tackle after Marshall wide receiver Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw beat Georgia defensive back Rasean Dinkins for a 44-yard gain — the Thundering Herd’s longest play of the game. KJ Bolden was also all over the place, recording four total tackles and a pass deflection. Marshall was held to just 129 yards through the air, with the majority coming late in the game after the game had been put away and Georgia’s depth pieces had rotated in.
Grade: A-
Special teams
Special teams is not usually a game-changing phase, but Georgia’s unit set the rest of the team up for success with its nearly flawless performance on Saturday. Peyton Woodring was perfect, hitting all six of his extra point attempts and his only field goal attempt, a 43-yarder. Drew Miller, who got the start as Brett Thorson still tends to his knee injury suffered in the 2024 SEC Championship game, had a solid day, punting six times for an average of 48 yards and pinning Marshall inside their own 20-yard line twice. Zachariah Branch showed his flashiness on three punt returns, totaling 24 yards gained. Bolden also blocked a punt early in the second quarter, setting the offense up with excellent field position and leading to a touchdown.
Grade: A+