Gunner Stockton

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. The Georgia football team runs onto the field ahead of its home-opening game versus Marshall last season. The Bulldogs, who open the new season versus Tennessee State on Sept. 5, earned the No. 3 ranking in the preseason Associated Press poll.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. The Georgia football team runs onto the field ahead of its home-opening game versus Marshall last season. The Bulldogs, who open the new season versus Tennessee State on Sept. 5, earned the No. 3 ranking in the preseason Associated Press poll.

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UGA, Stockton ranked No. 3 in preseason AP football poll

Wesley Branch
Thursday, August 20, 2026
The Associated Press college football preseason poll released on Monday, Aug. 17, showed Georgia was once again toward the top of the rankings. The Bulldogs are ranked No. 3 in the initial poll to begin the season. The AP Poll is voted on by over 60 journalists who cover college football.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County head football coach Rance Gillespie celebrates with his team after the Wildcats’ 35-0 second-round playoff win over Berrien on Nov. 21, 2025. Gillespie and the Wildcats have celebrated each win at home with the song “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive,” since former head coach Lee Shaw started the tradition in 2013. Standing in the background are Manager Josh Justus, Pastor Lance Courtney and current Rabun County Athletics Booster Club President Joey Haban.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County head football coach Rance Gillespie celebrates with his team after the Wildcats’ 35-0 second-round playoff win over Berrien on Nov. 21, 2025. Gillespie and the Wildcats have celebrated each win at home with the song “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive,” since former head coach Lee Shaw started the tradition in 2013. Standing in the background are Manager Josh Justus, Pastor Lance Courtney and current Rabun County Athletics Booster Club President Joey Haban.

It’s a Great Day to Be a Wildcat

Wesley Branch
Thursday, August 6, 2026
As Rabun County High School’s football team put the finishing touches and the final seconds waned in its 56-21 November 2025 first-round playoff win at home versus Dodge County, Rabun County head coach Rance Gillespie had one final question for his coaching staff.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Former Rabun County and current UGA quarterback Gunner Stockton celebrates with teammate Nate Frazier after scoring a rushing touchdown during Georgia’s 43-35 win over Ole Miss at Sanford Stadium on Oct. 18, 2025. Stockton said at SEC Media Days on July 21 that his goal for his final season of college football is to “make memories.” Stockton and the Bulldogs will open the new season on Sept. 5 at home versus Tennessee State.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Former Rabun County and current UGA quarterback Gunner Stockton celebrates with teammate Nate Frazier after scoring a rushing touchdown during Georgia’s 43-35 win over Ole Miss at Sanford Stadium on Oct. 18, 2025. Stockton said at SEC Media Days on July 21 that his goal for his final season of college football is to “make memories.” Stockton and the Bulldogs will open the new season on Sept. 5 at home versus Tennessee State.

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Gunner seeks to ‘make memories’ in final season as UGA quarterback

Wesley Branch
Thursday, July 23, 2026
The Georgia football team has several goals for itself as the 2026 season nears, although the Bulldogs will claim the “one day at a time” mentality.
Wesley Branch/ The Clayton Tribune. Current UGA and former Rabun County quarterback Gunner Stockton evades defenders during Georgia’s 35-3 win over Charlotte on Nov. 22, 2025. Stockton is entering year two as Georgia’s starting quarterback.

Wesley Branch/ The Clayton Tribune. Current UGA and former Rabun County quarterback Gunner Stockton evades defenders during Georgia’s 35-3 win over Charlotte on Nov. 22, 2025. Stockton is entering year two as Georgia’s starting quarterback.

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Smart: Stockton ‘embodies everything our program is about’

Wesley Branch
Thursday, July 23, 2026
As the back-to-back defending Southeastern Conference (SEC) champion Georgia Bulldogs made its scheduled appearance at SEC Media Days in Tampa, Fla., on July 21, Georgia head football coach Kirby Smart had high praise for starting quarterback Gunner Stockton, a Rabun County standout.
Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. Former Rabun County standout and current University of Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton takes a selfie with youth participants of the Gunner Stockton Football Camp sitting on the field at Lakeview Academy on June 20 in the background. This is the camp’s second year.

Enoch Autry/The Clayton Tribune. Former Rabun County standout and current University of Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton takes a selfie with youth participants of the Gunner Stockton Football Camp sitting on the field at Lakeview Academy on June 20 in the background. This is the camp’s second year.

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Gunner amps up youth football camp

Enoch Autry - Publisher
Thursday, June 25, 2026
GAINESVILLE, GA – Fresh off a Southeastern Conference-winning season, former Rabun County record-setter and current Georgia Bulldog quarterback Gunner Stockton for a second consecutive year got to meet his younger fanbase first-hand at his youth football camp.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Current UGA and former Rabun County quarterback Gunner Stockton evades defensive pressure from the Black Team in Georgia’s ‘G-Day’ scrimmage. Stockton finished the afternoon 7-of-12 passing for 76 yards and a touchdown for the red team in a 27-17 victory.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Current UGA and former Rabun County quarterback Gunner Stockton evades defensive pressure from the Black Team in Georgia’s ‘G-Day’ scrimmage. Stockton finished the afternoon 7-of-12 passing for 76 yards and a touchdown for the red team in a 27-17 victory.

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Bulldogs’ Stockton, Walker take field for Georgia spring game

Wesley Branch
Thursday, April 23, 2026
ATHENS – While a new football season is still months away – and may feel like even further than that – it was “Saturday in Athens” for Georgia’s annual spring game, “G-Day,” on April 18 for the Bulldogs.
Image via FlexWorkSports. Gunner Stockton will hold a football camp on June 20

Image via FlexWorkSports. Gunner Stockton will hold a football camp on June 20

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Stockton to host youth football camp in Gainesville

Wesley Branch
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Former Rabun County High School and current University of Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton will hold a youth football camp once again this summer on June 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lakeview Academy in Gainesville, Ga.
Video image/Fox5 Atlanta. Rabun County standout and current Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton is greeted at the podium in Rome, Ga., on Feb. 19 by President Donald Trump. Standing with Stockton and Trump is Herschel Walker, Bulldog great and current ambassador to The Bahamas.

Video image/Fox5 Atlanta. Rabun County standout and current Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton is greeted at the podium in Rome, Ga., on Feb. 19 by President Donald Trump. Standing with Stockton and Trump is Herschel Walker, Bulldog great and current ambassador to The Bahamas.

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Stockton takes stage with President Trump at Rome rally

Wesley Branch
Thursday, February 26, 2026
President Donald Trump made a trip to Rome, Ga., on Feb. 19 for an event on the state of the economy, where he was joined by Romans and several notable figures in politics and sports including those from Rabun County.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Former Rabun County and current UGA quarterback Gunner Stockton fights off defenders for a rushing touchdown in Georgia’s 45-7 season-opening win over Marshall on Aug. 30, 2025. Stockton, who finished seventh in Heisman voting this season, will return to Georgia for his redshirt senior season in 2026.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Former Rabun County and current UGA quarterback Gunner Stockton fights off defenders for a rushing touchdown in Georgia’s 45-7 season-opening win over Marshall on Aug. 30, 2025. Stockton, who finished seventh in Heisman voting this season, will return to Georgia for his redshirt senior season in 2026.

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Stockton set to return to UGA for his final season

Wesley Branch
Thursday, January 22, 2026
With both the deadline for NFL Draft decisions – Jan. 14 – and transfer portal decisions – Jan. 16 – having passed, former Rabun County standout Gunner Stockton will be officially returning to the University of Georgia for his final season of college football.
Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County junior linebacker JK Fruster celebrates with assistant coach Ty Maxwell after the Rabun County defense forces a turnover in the Wildcats’ 49-42 road win over Dalton on Sept. 5, 2025.

Wesley Branch/The Clayton Tribune. Rabun County junior linebacker JK Fruster celebrates with assistant coach Ty Maxwell after the Rabun County defense forces a turnover in the Wildcats’ 49-42 road win over Dalton on Sept. 5, 2025.

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Rabun releases 2026 Wildcat football schedule

Wesley Branch
Thursday, January 15, 2026
The Rabun County football team officially released its schedule for the 2026 season on Thursday, Jan. 8, in a post on the team’s official X (formerly known as Twitter) account as RCHS will face both former Coach Shaws with their current teams.