Georgia Football Faces Major Roster Overhaul Ahead of 2025 Season

ATHENS, Ga. — The Georgia Bulldogs, fresh off an 11-3 season and an SEC Championship, are preparing for a 2025 campaign with significant roster changes. The team will open its season on Aug. 30 at home against Marshall, but questions loom about how the Bulldogs will replace key departures on both sides of the ball.

Georgia loses quarterback Carson Beck, who transferred to Miami, along with running back Trevor Etienne and several standout receivers and offensive linemen. On defense, the Bulldogs bid farewell to defensive tackle Nazir Stackhouse, linebacker Jalon Walker, and safeties Malaki Starks and Dan Jackson, among others. These departures leave head coach Kirby Smart with the challenge of rebuilding a team that has been a perennial contender in the College Football Playoff.

“The first of two schools to receive at least one first-place vote for 2025, Georgia is getting used to preseason notoriety under Kirby Smart,” one analyst noted. “But with so many key players moving on, the Bulldogs will need to rely on emerging talent and transfers to remain competitive.”

Quarterback Gunner Stockton, who started in the SEC Championship and the College Football Playoff quarterfinal, is expected to take the reins of the offense. Stockton will have new weapons at his disposal, including transfer receivers Zachariah Branch (USC) and Noah Thomas (Texas A&M). “Adding All-American Zachariah Branch to the receiver corps will be a real boon,” another analyst said. “He can boost the Bulldogs’ prowess downfield and in the return game.”

Georgia’s schedule in 2025 features several high-profile matchups, including games against No. 9 Tennessee, No. 8 Alabama, and No. 1 Texas. The Bulldogs will face Alabama, Ole Miss, and Texas at home, which could provide a slight advantage. However, the road to another SEC title will be challenging, especially with a defense that must replace multiple NFL-bound stars.

“The Dawgs slumped badly last season with three losses,” one analyst observed. “The issues were sub-standard quarterback play, lack of play-making receivers, and the worst defense at Georgia in at least a decade.”

Despite the challenges, Georgia’s recruiting prowess under Smart ensures that the Bulldogs will remain a force in college football. The team has signed a top-three recruiting class in each of the last nine years, and incoming freshmen like defensive lineman Elijah Griffin are expected to make an immediate impact.

“As long as Kirby Smart is in Athens, the Bulldogs will be consistent threats to win the SEC, contend in the College Football Playoff, and ultimately challenge for the national title,” another analyst said. “But this is a group that has stacked five- and four-star talent each season and will have plenty surrounding their aptly named signal-caller.”

Georgia’s ability to reload rather than rebuild will be tested in 2025. With a mix of returning talent, promising newcomers, and strategic transfers, the Bulldogs aim to maintain their status as one of college football’s elite programs.