The Georgia Bulldogs will launch their College Football Playoff journey without their starting quarterback.

Carson Beck has been ruled out for the rest of the season, according to an announcement from the university on Monday. The fifth-year senior sustained an elbow injury to his throwing arm during the last play of the first half in the SEC championship game against Texas. He did not play in the entire second half and returned only in overtime to hand the ball to Trevor Etienne for the decisive score. Following this, doubts arose regarding Beck’s participation in the upcoming quarterfinals against Notre Dame, and now he will miss the entire postseason.

The university stated that Beck successfully underwent surgery on Monday to repair his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), which was performed by surgeon Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles. He is anticipated to make a full recovery and is expected to start throwing again by the spring of 2025, the school said.

Who Will Start for Georgia Against Notre Dame?

With Beck sidelined, head coach Kirby Smart will appoint sophomore Gunner Stockton to take the reins as the starting quarterback for the Bulldogs in their playoff campaign. Stockton stepped in for Beck during the SEC championship game, completing 12 of 16 passes for 71 yards with one interception.

Previously, Stockton had played in three regular-season games, mainly during the latter stages of decisive wins. His overall stats for the 2024 season include 25 completions out of 32 attempts, totaling 206 yards with one interception.

Even before Monday’s announcement, Georgia was getting Stockton ready for the Sugar Bowl on January 1 against Notre Dame, allowing him ample time to prepare for his debut as a starter.

“He’s got plenty of practice time leading up to this, and he’s getting even more now,” Smart said. “Preparing for a team like Notre Dame takes time, and we have that.”

Stockton will face a tough challenge as Georgia competes in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals against a Notre Dame defense that is among the top five in the nation, allowing only 13.8 points and 162.3 passing yards per game. However, Notre Dame faced its own setback, losing Rylie Mills, the team’s sack leader, for the rest of the season due to a knee injury.

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman noted that Stockton’s promotion to starting quarterback will necessitate adjustments to their defensive strategy since Stockton poses a running threat.

“He can effectively run their offense. He has a different style, can extend plays, and is very athletic. What stands out the most is his competitive spirit,” Freeman mentioned.

Georgia and Notre Dame will clash on January 1 in New Orleans, with a spot in the playoff semifinals at stake.