Georgia QB Gunner Stockton struggles in season's first loss to Auburn

Georgia football fifth year quarterback Gunner Stockton was having a bit of an off day in the Bulldogs' first loss of the season on Saturday, Oct. 17.

No. 1 Georgia fell to an unranked Auburn team, 27-24, on a late field goal as temperatures in the Peach State dropped to finally resemble autumn. This didn't look anything like the team that beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Oct. 10.

"Life ain't supposed to be fairytales and pixie dust," Stockton said. "It's all about how you respond."

Stockton hit his head on the first play of the game and was medically forced to sit for three plays. He said after the game he was fine, that it had no impact on him. Head coach Kirby Smart said he'd had a stinger in his shoulder, but that he was also assessed for a concussion and the works and cleared.

Also, during the second quarter, with the wind whipping to the north through Sanford Stadium, Stockton nearly missed holding for senior kicker Peyton Woodring's 54-yard field goal attempt. He ran out late, and the attempt was blocked by Auburn's Jared Smith.

To add the cherry on top, Stockton fumbled the ball with 58 seconds remaining in regulation and Auburn's Sylvester Smith-Reed recovered it to turn the tides. He said he thinks it was a punchout, either the guy's hand or helmet hit it.

"I saw him in the locker room, his head was up," Smart said of Stockton. "We wouldn't have been in the position we were in if it wasn't for Gunner. We wouldn't have been able to do some of the things we did if it wasn't for Gunner. … I'm really proud that he's growing up and getting better. He had all the success last week, and everybody wants to reach out and talk about it, and it's so tough, but he did no difference in his preparation. He didn't do anything different."

Stockton finished with 22 completions out of 34 attempts for 272 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, as well as nine touches for 26 yards.

His career high in passing attempts is 37, which was set against Auburn last year, and his career high in passing completions is 26, which was set against Ole Miss last year.

His career high in passing yards is 304, which was against Tennessee last year. He's also never thrown more than one interception in a single game, until now.

Stockton's first touchdown pass was to senior tight end Lawson Luckie for 24 yards with 7:24 remaining in the first quarter to make it 14-0. This capped a 7-play, 89-yard drive that lasted 3:25.

Stockton's second touchdown pass was to senior wide receiver London Humphreys four yards with 2:58 remaining in the fourth quarter to tie it back up at 24-24. This capped a 13-play, 94-yard drive that lasted 5:16.

His backup, junior Ryan Puglisi, finished 3-for-3 for 55 yards and was a big part in the setup of the Bulldogs' first touchdown, which was a junior running back Dwight Phillips 15-yard rush up the middle, handed off by Stockton.

Georgia (6-1, 4-1) will be off next week as it prepares for Florida (5-2, 3-2) on Saturday, Oct. 31, at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m., with the broadcast network still to be determined.

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Georgia QB Gunner Stockton struggles in season's first loss to Auburn