Is Carson Beck primed to bring UGA its third championship in four years?
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Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Writer
ATHENS, Ga. — The last time Georgia opened the season against Clemson three years ago, Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck could only watch from the sideline as transfer JT Daniels guided the team to a 10-3 victory over the Tigers.
The next week, when Daniels was sidelined with an oblique injury, Beck thought it might be his turn to lead the offense against UAB. But Beck was outplayed in practice by former walk-on Stetson Bennett, who had returned to Georgia from a junior college.
Bennett threw five touchdown passes in the first half of a 56-7 rout of the Blazers. When Daniels was injured again the following week, Bennett took over the starting job for good and eventually led the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships in 2021 and 2022.
Beck was hardly anything more than a backup as Georgia ended its 41-year drought without a national title, wondering if his turn would ever come.
“It’s hard to sit here and not play,” Beck told ESPN. “You know, you’re working just as hard as the guys in front of you, and you’re doing the same thing. You’re showing up to practice. You’re doing everything, but you don’t get to go out there on the field on Saturday, which is very challenging.
“You might get a little scrap, tiny little scraps in there. But literally, you’re doing all the same work for no reward, I guess. The way I see it is Saturday is the reward. The game’s the reward. That’s the fun part.”
In an era of college football when backup quarterbacks — and even starters — don’t remain at the same school for four years, Beck knew going somewhere other than Georgia might have dramatically increased his chances of playing time.
“That’s definitely the easy route,” Beck said. “It’s the get-out-of-jail-free card. There’s positives and negatives to each situation. The negative is waiting. The negative is that if I go somewhere else maybe I’m really not going to get pushed the same way that I’m going to get pushed here. I’m not going to get coached the same way that I’m going to get coached here.”
Beck decided to wait his turn with the Bulldogs, and the Jacksonville, Florida, native has been rewarded for his patience.
Heading into Saturday’s opener against No. 14 Clemson at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Beck is at the controls of the top-ranked team in the FBS, a leading Heisman Trophy contender and a potential No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft.
He’s driving a Lamborghini, one of the fruits of name, image and likeness deals that reportedly total more than $1 million, and he confirmed to ESPN this week that he’s dating Miami basketball player Hanna Cavinder, a social media star in her own right. His younger sister, Kylie, transferred to Georgia and is a member of the school dance team.
“A lot has changed since 2021,” Beck said. “You know, I’ve been through a lot, personally and through football. Sitting and waiting and not playing, and then getting last season to be able to start. Looking back today and being where I’m at now, I’m very appreciative and very thankful of the position that I’m in.”
In his first season as a starter in 2023, Beck completed 72.4% of his passes for 3,941 yards, which was tops in the SEC. He had 24 touchdown passes and six interceptions while leading the Bulldogs to their third straight unbeaten regular season.
Georgia fell 27-24 to Alabama in the SEC championship game, which ended its 29-game winning streak. The Bulldogs were left out of the College Football Playoff, even though they were arguably one of the top four teams in the FBS.
Beck was considered a potential high draft pick in this past April’s NFL draft (he declined to reveal his grade from NFL evaluators), but opted to return to Georgia for another season.
“I came back to win a national championship,” Beck said. “That’s my goal.”
Georgia coach Kirby Smart says he realizes Beck is an anomaly in the transfer portal era. Heading into this season, half of the SEC’s projected starting quarterbacks began their college careers with another team. The number is even higher across the Power 4 — about 63% of projected starting quarterbacks in the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and at Notre Dame have transferred at least once.
“You get contacted by schools about leaving and it never became that for him,” Smart told ESPN. “He never used it for leverage or brought anything to us. I think that’s just kind of the way he is. He’s very strong-minded. He wanted to prove a point to himself, and he stuck it out to do it.”
Beck and Kentucky‘s Brock Vandagriff, a former Georgia backup who is set to make his first career start for the Wildcats against Southern Miss on Saturday, are the only quarterbacks at power programs who waited three seasons before making their first starts.
“I think it just shows his competitive character,” Smart said of Beck. “He was hellbent to prove that he could play here. He’s wired differently. I mean, for everybody that was looking for a place to go, I assure you he was probably getting calls or people were calling his high school coach or his quarterback coach back at home.”
As Georgia plays road games at No. 5 Alabama, No. 4 Texas and No. 6 Ole Miss and a home game against No. 15 Tennessee, Beck’s experience will surely come in handy. In 2023, he performed remarkably well against ranked opponents, completing 73.9% of his attempts with 13 touchdowns and two interceptions in five such games.
NFL scouts love Beck’s prototypical size (6-foot-4 and 220 pounds), arm strength and quick release. He’s considered the top quarterback eligible for next year’s draft, along with Colorado‘s Shedeur Sanders and Texas’ Quinn Ewers.
Smart said Beck’s biggest improvements during the offseason were recognizing coverages and pressures — he relied on veteran center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger to do it last year — and he has become a more vocal leader.
“Last year, he was kind of tending to himself,” Smart said. “He’s a little better now if something needs to be said at the end of practice or beginning of practice or in a team meeting. He’s a little more assertive, even though that’s not who he is.”
Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo appreciates Beck’s even demeanor as a complement to him being more outspoken.
“The nature of the position and what you play, you’re the leader of the offense and a lot of times the leader of the team,” Bobo said. “His actions and his body language speak volumes to guys. It could be getting on somebody’s ass or it could be encouraging somebody. I just want him to be him.
“He has a great trait that he has such an even temperament, whether we score a touchdown or we go three and out or he happens to throw a pick or something, his temperament doesn’t change. That allows him to stay calm in the moment, and one of our core DNA traits is composure.”
Last season, the Bulldogs ranked second in the SEC in scoring (40.5 points) and passing (305.3 yards) — behind only LSU in both categories. They’ll have to try to duplicate that production without star tight end Brock Bowers and receiver Ladd McConkey, who have moved on to the NFL.
“We have a lot of talent,” Beck said. “And regardless of what we lost, you know, it’s always rebuilt at Georgia. Whatever you lose, we’re going to replace. Those guys obviously are really great athletes and had a lot of production last year. But also at the same time, those two guys really didn’t play much last year.”
Bowers, the only back-to-back winner of the Mackey Award as the best tight end in the FBS, missed two games with a left ankle injury and worked his way back from surgery late in the season. McConkey missed five games with back and foot injuries.
To fill in the gaps, the Bulldogs added tight end Ben Yurosek (Stanford) and receivers Colbie Young (Miami), London Humphreys (Vanderbilt) and Michael Jackson III (USC) from the portal.
“We still had one of the most explosive offenses in the country,” Beck said. “I’m looking forward to this year and seeing some of those guys that stepped up last year really make their mark this year.”
At a meeting during preseason camp, Beck wrote what a quarterback needed to do to be successful on a whiteboard. The No. 1 thing was to “be where your feet are.”
With Heisman Trophy and NFL draft speculation surrounding him, that challenge starts Saturday against Clemson.
“I see a guy that’s trying to have a sense of urgency every day about everything he does and not taking anything for granted,” Bobo said. “You hear that a lot, but here’s a guy that had a good season, his first season. There’s a lot of noise outside this building about the future, but he can’t control that. What he can control is being where his feet are every day.”
That shouldn’t be difficult for a quarterback whose feet never left where they started.
It seems such a short time ago that all 16 teams began the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs with a clean slate. On Tuesday night, two teams could have their postseason runs ended.
Can both teams stave off elimination to get another home game out of the 2025 postseason?
Meanwhile in the Western Conference, both series involving Pacific Division teams are tied 2-2 heading back to the higher seed’s domain. Which teams will take pivotal Games 5 in Vegas Golden Knights–Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings–Edmonton Oilers?
Read on for game previews with statistical insights from ESPN Research, recaps of what went down in Monday’s games, and the Three Stars of Monday Night from Arda Öcal.
Matchup notes
Ottawa Senators at Toronto Maple Leafs
Game 5 (TOR leads 3-1) | 7 p.m. ET | ESPN
Games 2-4 marked the 11th time in the past 20 years that teams have gone to overtime three straight times in a playoff series.
Jake Sanderson‘s game-winning overtime goal was the first of his career, and he became the ninth defenseman age 22 or younger with an OT goal in the playoffs (and the first for the Senators).
Veteran David Perron scored his first playoff goal with the Senators, the fourth team with which he has scored a postseason goal (Blues, Golden Knights, Ducks).
Matthew Knies scored his sixth career playoff goal, which is tied for the fourth most by a Maple Leafs player age 22 or younger since 1976-77, behind Auston Matthews (12), Wendel Clark (11) and Russ Courtnall (8).
Toronto defensemen have scored five goals this postseason, the most by any team, a surprising outcome given that the Leafs had the fewest goals by defensemen in the regular season (21).
New Jersey Devils at Carolina Hurricanes
Game 5 (CAR leads 3-1) | 7:30 p.m. ET | TBS
The Devils have outscored the Hurricanes at 5-on-5 in the series (7-5), but trail on their own power plays (0-1), the Canes’ power plays (0-4) and when the net is empty (0-2).
Hurricanes goaltender Frederik Andersen was knocked out of Game 4 following a collision with Devils forward Timo Meier. Meier has not scored on Andersen during this series, but scored on his first shot on goal against backup goalie Pyotr Kochetkov.
Andersen’s status is up in the air for Game 5, but he is the current leader among playoff goaltenders in goals-against average (1.59) this postseason, and is second among qualified goalies in save percentage (.936).
Andrei Svechnikov scored his second career playoff hat trick in Game 4. He has two for his career and is the only player in Hurricanes/Whalers franchise history to score a playoff hat trick.
Minnesota Wild at Vegas Golden Knights
Game 5 (series tied 2-2) | 9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN
Game 4 broke one streak and continued another. Ivan Barbashev‘s OT winner snapped a three-game losing streak for Vegas in playoff OT games, while the loss for Minnesota makes it five straight defeats in home playoff games that go to the extra session.
Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson made 42 saves in the loss, his second career playoff game with 40 or more. He is the only goaltender in franchise history with multiple 40-save games in the playoffs.
Kirill Kaprizov registered an assist in the Game 4 loss, giving him eight points in four games this postseason, one behind the leaders.
Vegas forward Tomas Hertl is on a heater. His goal in Game 4 is his third this postseason, and he has eight goals in his past nine games going back to March 22.
The Wild have been mostly effective at keeping Jack Eichel off the score sheet. He had one assist in Game 4, his first point of the series after a team-leading 94 points in the regular season.
Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings
Game 5 (series tied 2-2) | 10 p.m. ET | TBS
With his two-goal outing in Game 4, Evan Bouchard became the fourth defenseman in Stanley Cup playoff history to have back-to-back multigoal games, joining Rob Blake (2002), Al Iafrate (1993) and Denis Potvin (1981).
Leon Draisaitl — who scored the OT game winner in Game 4 — now has eight four-point games in his playoff career. That’s the fourth most in Oilers history, behind Wayne Gretzky (20), Mark Messier (10) and Jari Kurri (10).
Tied with Draisaitl for the playoff scoring lead is Kings winger Adrian Kempe, who is also tied for the goals lead with four. Kempe had 19 total points in 22 previous playoff games, all with the Kings.
Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper has been busy, facing 134 shots, which is the second most among postseason goaltenders (Gustavsson is first with 136). Kuemper’s current .881 save percentage is the second worst of his playoff career, narrowly ahead of the .879 he generated while backstopping the Wild for two games in the 2013 playoffs.
Arda’s three stars from Monday night
Johnston scored his first goal of the 2025 postseason nine seconds in, which is tied for the fifth fastest goal to start a game in Stanley Cup playoff history. He had himself a night, with two goals and an assist in the Stars’ win.
Rantanen scored his first postseason goal with the Stars against his old team. Rantanen became the seventh different player in NHL history to score a playoff goal against a team with which he previously tallied 100-plus postseason points. The others: Jaromir Jagr (2012 and 2008 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins), Brett Hull (2002, 2001, and 1999 vs. St. Louis Blues), Wayne Gretzky (1992, 1990, 1989 vs. Edmonton Oilers), Jari Kurri (1992 vs. Oilers), Paul Coffey (1992 vs. Oilers) and Bernie Geoffrion (1967 vs. Montreal Canadiens).
His postgame quotes keep getting better and better, to the point where he deserves a star for saying, “I’m sick of talking about hits” — then asking the media for their thoughts. Love it.
Monday’s scores
Florida Panthers 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 2
FLA leads 3-1 | Game 5 Wednesday
After an exciting, but scoreless, first period, the game heated up even more in the second. Anton Lundell opened the scoring for the Panthers, and Aaron Ekblad delivered a vicious hit to Tampa Bay’s Brandon Hagel; the call was not penalized on the ice, and Hagel would have to leave the game. Thereafter, the Lightning scored two goals within 11 seconds from Mitchell Chaffee and Erik Cernak to take the lead well into the third period. But then in another span of 11 seconds, the Panthers pulled off the same feat, with goals by Ekblad and Seth Jones, sending the building into a frenzy. Carter Verhaeghe added an empty-netter for insurance. Full recap.
1:21
Panthers match Lightning with 2 goals in 11 seconds to take lead
Aaron Ekblad and Seth Jones score within 11 seconds of each other as the Panthers grab a late lead in the third period.
Dallas Stars 6, Colorado Avalanche 2
DAL leads 3-2 | Game 6 Thursday
As wild as the opening game was Monday night, this one looked to be going down the same road early. Dallas’ Wyatt Johnston scored nine seconds into the game, which is the fastest goal ever to start a playoff game in Stars franchise history. Fellow young Star Thomas Harley joined him on the scoresheet with 45 seconds left in the first. From there on, Dallas kept Colorado at arm’s length, with a second-period goal from Mikko Rantanen, another from Johnston and one from Mason Marchment, followed by an empty-netter from Roope Hintz to put an exclamation point on the proceedings. Artturi Lehkonen and Nathan MacKinnon scored in the second period, but that was not nearly enough on this night. Full recap.
0:34
Stars score in first 9 seconds of the game
Wyatt Johnston wastes no time as he finds the net within nine seconds of play for a Stars goal against the Avalanche.
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Greg Wyshynski
Florida Panthers defenseman Aaron Ekblad will have a hearing Tuesday with the NHL Department of Player Safety for elbowing Tampa Bay Lightning forward Brandon Hagel in the head in Game 4 of their series Monday night.
Hagel won’t play in Wednesday’s Game 5.
“He’s not playing tomorrow. And you know why,” said Lightning coach Jon Cooper on Tuesday.
Ekblad’s hearing will be held remotely.
With less than nine minutes left in the second period of Florida’s 4-2 victory, Hagel played the puck out of the Tampa Bay zone near the boards. Ekblad skated in on him and delivered a hit with his right forearm that made contact with Hagel’s head, shoving Hagel down in the process. The back of Hagel’s head bounced off the ice. He was pulled from the game because of concussion concerns and didn’t return to the bench.
Ekblad wasn’t penalized for the hit and remained in the game. He would play a critical role in the Panthers’ late-game rally to take a 3-1 series lead, tying the game with 3:47 left in regulation before Florida defenseman Seth Jones scored the winner 11 seconds later.
Hagel returned to the Lightning lineup in Game 4 after serving a one-game suspension for interference on Florida captain Aleksander Barkov in Game 2. The NHL ruled that Barkov wasn’t eligible to be hit and that Hagel made head contact with him, which forced Barkov out of the game. Barkov returned to the Florida lineup for Game 3, which the Lightning won in Hagel’s absence.
“It’s getting tiresome answering questions about a hit every single game,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said after the game before asking media members whether they had anything to say about Ekblad’s check, with no takers. “All right, let’s move on,” he said.
Ekblad missed the first two games of the playoffs after he was suspended 20 games without pay in March for violating the NHL and NHL Players’ Association’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
The Department of Player Safety did make a ruling on Florida defenseman Niko Mikkola, who received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding Tampa Bay’s Zemgus Girgensons in Game 4. Mikkola was fined $5,000, the maximum allowable under the NHL CBA, but escaped suspension.
Cooper said the physicality of “The Battle of Florida” shouldn’t come as a surprise
“Players are missing games because of it, whether it’s physically or by the league. So it’s going to be talked about. But if anybody’s followed Tampa and Florida over the last five or six years, this is kind of how these series are. This one is a little different because of the major things that have happened, but these are hard-fought series,” he said.
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