Carson Beck was him—until he wasn’t. One day, he’s Georgia’s golden boy, the next, he’s getting side-eyed like a stale bag of chips at a cookout. 2024 had its highs and lows, but by the end of it, Beck had enough of Athens. Instead of rolling the dice in the NFL Draft, he took his talents to South Beach, hoping to give Miami the final push it needs to run the ACC. Bold move? Absolutely. Guaranteed success? Not even close. Carson Beck is stepping into a program that was this close to making the College Football Playoff last season.

Cam Ward had Miami flying high, torching defenses, and stacking Ws before Syracuse played spoiler. Now, Beck’s the guy expected to clean up unfinished business. But if history tells us anything, Miami doesn’t do easy seasons. The hype is real. The expectations? Even louder. And let’s just say not everyone’s convinced Beck can carry the weight.

J.D. PicKell, one of the sharper voices over at On3, isn’t mincing words when it comes to Miami’s 2025 outlook. On April 1st, he hopped on air and laid it all out—if Miami wants an ACC title, the defense better show up. “Statistically speaking, Miami allowed 26 points last year a game, right? Clemson won the conference; they allowed 24 points a game,” PicKell said. “Now, I get it—situational, I get it—it’s, you know, half to half. We couldn’t, for the life of us, figure out Miami having four quarters of football played, so you gotta do that.”

Translation: The Hurricanes were talented, but they couldn’t string together a complete game. One quarter, they’d look like world-beaters; the next, they’d look like they’d never heard of defensive assignments. And that inconsistency? It’s what cost them a trip to Charlotte last year.

But here’s the kicker—PicKell doesn’t think Miami’s that far off. In fact, he believes they’re within striking distance of an ACC title if they clean up their act on defense. “They don’t have to totally be the ‘85 Bears,” he said. “They just gotta be better. If you’re better on defense and your offense is maybe a step back from what they were last year, Miami is going to be in that conversation to win the ACC.” The only reason the Miami Hurricanes did not make it to the playoff is because their defense sells their winnable games.

That’s a key point. Losing Cam Ward is a big deal, no doubt. The dude lit up scoreboards last season, and his absence means the offense might not be quite as explosive. But if the defense can shave off even a few points per game, Miami could be right in the thick of things come December. And let’s talk about that schedule. Miami has a huge early test against Notre Dame but after that? It’s pretty manageable.

Florida State? Winnable. Louisville? Beat them last year. Syracuse? Yeah, revenge is on the menu. Even SMU, the new ACC wildcard, is tough but not unbeatable. As PicKell put it, “Show me the guaranteed loss on that schedule.” The bottom line? This isn’t about talent anymore. Miami has the pieces. The only question is whether Mario Cristobal’s squad can finally get out of their own way and finish the freaking job this time.

Gunner Stockton to have a better season than Carson Beck at Georgia?

While Miami is betting big on Carson Beck, Georgia is moving forward with Gunner Stockton—and some folks, including former Dawg David Pollack, think Stockton might actually outplay Beck in 2025. “I think Gunner Stockton will have a better year this year than Carson Beck had last year,” Pollack said. That’s a bold claim, considering Beck’s 2024 numbers weren’t terrible. He went 11-2 as a starter, threw for 3,485 yards, and put up 28 touchdowns. But he also had 12 interceptions, struggled in big moments, and didn’t quite elevate Georgia’s offense the way some expected.

Gunner Stockton, on the other hand, got a taste of the spotlight in Georgia’s SEC Championship win over Texas and their Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame. Now, with a full offseason as QB1, he’s ready to roll. Of course, there’s a catch—Stockton isn’t exactly inheriting the same Georgia team Beck had. The Bulldogs lost four of their five starting offensive linemen, running back Trevor Etienne, and three defensive studs in Malaki Starks, Mykel Williams, and Jalon Walker. That’s a whole lot of firepower gone to the NFL.

The good news? Georgia should be better at wide receiver, and their tight end room remains elite. If Stockton can get decent protection, he’ll have weapons. But there’s no sugarcoating it—he’s stepping into a trickier situation than Beck had. Still, Pollack is all in on Stockton’s upside. “I don’t know that I’ve met a more humble kid,” he said. “He is an easy kid to cheer for.” Translation: If Stockton balls out, Georgia fans will rally behind him in a hurry. But if he struggles? Well, let’s just say Dawg Nation isn’t exactly known for its patience with quarterbacks.

So, who wins out in this wild QB shake-up? Beck is under massive pressure to deliver in Miami. He’s not just trying to improve his draft stock—he’s trying to bring the ‘Canes back to the promised land. Stockton, on the other hand, has the chance to prove he was the right guy for Georgia all along. PicKell’s assessment of Miami is spot-on. If Beck and the Hurricanes can avoid the self-inflicted wounds that plagued them last year, they could very well be lifting the ACC trophy in December. But if history repeats itself? Well, let’s just say the Miami fanbase won’t be gentle.

As for Stockton? If he really does outplay Beck, Georgia fans are gonna have some questions about last year’s QB decisions. And if he struggles? Well, Kirby Smart better hope that the defense reloads fast.