It’s not worth crying over spilled milk. While the frustrating 23-10 loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will linger with the Georgia Bulldogs, head coach Kirby Smart cannot afford to dwell on it. He has already begun rebuilding the program for next season. As the player carousel continues in the transfer portal, the Dawgs have reeled in an exciting brother duo.
Georgia’s season came crashing down at the worst possible time. Carson Beck’s injury and subsequent surgery left the Dawgs without their QB1 for the biggest game of the season: the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal. Though Georgia placed its trust in backup Gunner Stockton, the absence of Beck was a significant blow to their chances against a Notre Dame team riding a wave of momentum heading into the matchup in New Orleans.
Ultimately, it was too much for Smart and the Dawgs to overcome. Georgia fell at the gates of the Semifinal and have instead shifted its focus to the 2025 season. Fans in Athens can already get excited about the upcoming campaign as the school landed two of the best talents in the portal: Zachariah Branch and Zion Branch, both from USC.
Zachariah, dubbed the No. 4 overall recruit and top receiver in the class of 2023, is coming off a good sophomore season with the Trojans. He caught 47 passes for 503 yards and one touchdown this season, while also showcasing great return skills throughout his first two years in college football.
Head coach Kirby Smart of the Georgia Bulldogs reacts during the second quarter against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium on October 12, 2024 in Athens, Georgia.
Zachariah’s brother Zion is another promising talent. He was the seventh-best safety in the 2022 class, appearing in 10 games this season, he recorder 19 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, a sack and three pass breakups. Georgia brings in an electric duo in hopes of adding some needed boost on both sides of the ball.
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Quarterback and wide receiver leave Athens
The NCAA‘s transfer portal continues to shake the landscape of every program as every day dozens of players announce their entry to it, or commit to new schools. Georgia is no foreign to this. Bulldogs quarterback Jaden Rashada and wideout Anthony Evans have decided to enter the portal.
Rashada’s departure shines the light on a concerning topic for Smart going into next season. With Beck declaring for the NFL Draft, the Dawgs face uncertainty about who will be under center next fall.
Stockton makes the most sense right now, since he’s been in the huddle during critical games this year, but it could all be subject to change during the offseason and preseason.
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart walks the field before the game against the Clemson Tigers in the 2024 Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.
Rashada’s decision to walk away from Athens comes with some curious timing, just days after he stated: “I think I needed this place a lot right now in my life,” Rashada said ahead of the Sugar Bowl, per On3. “I needed Georgia specifically.”
