Zachariah Branch's explosive play leads Georgia to first SEC win; Alabama lies ahead

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ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Two weeks ago, after No. 5 Georgia beat Austin Peay 28-6 in a game that didn’t feel much like a win, quarterback Gunner Stockton felt like he needed answers. How can the offense maximize explosive plays, the kind that will be essential in SEC competition?

Stockton may have found the answer in Week 3, when the Bulldogs delivered a 44-41 overtime win against No. 15 Tennessee. Junior transfer Zachariah Branch played a key role, catching a team-high five passes for 69 yards, a touchdown and hauling in the two-point conversion to force overtime.

Through three games, Branch leads the Bulldogs with 181 receiving yards and two touchdowns. His two scores came on nearly identical plays — short screen passes taken 30+ yards to the house. It might not have been the deep shot downfield Stockton envisioned, but when Branch reached a top speed of 21.4 mph on his 36-yard touchdown in Week 3, it was hard to describe as anything but explosive.

Kirby Smart likes what he’s seen out of the junior transfer from USC.

“Zachariah’s been great,” Smart said on Monday. “He’s a hard worker. He practices every day, regardless of what touches he gets. He’s never been a me guy. He just wants to win, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes."

Smart isn't the only one who's taken notice. No. 17 Alabama, who the Bulldogs host Saturday night, has circled Branch on the scouting report. Linebacker Deontae Lawson knows how important it is to minimize the wide receiver from the start.

“Branch is explosive," Lawson said. "I think he has all of their explosive plays this year, he was definitely explosive at USC last year. You can’t let him get going, you have to stop him in his tracks. If he gets going then it’s going to be a big play. We want to limit that for sure.”

Branch’s speed and versatility will be needed on Saturday night. Smart is 1-6 against Alabama, his sole triumph coming at the right time in the 2021 National Championship game. The Bulldogs are 0-1 against the Crimson Tide with Kalen DeBoer at the helm, losing 41-34 in Tuscaloosa last September.

It won’t be an easy task for Stockton, Branch and Co. against a strong Alabama defense. The Crimson Tide’s defense has held opponents to an average of 108 passing yards per game — the lowest in the SEC.

“They’ve got a lot of moving parts, a lot to prepare for,” Smart said. “They have different coverages, they mix man and zone well, but their physicality is the biggest thing. At the point of attack, they’re really physical and they play really hard. I think they have a really good defense and they’re well coached.”

With Alabama’s secondary in mind, the Bulldogs may need to lean on the run to spark the offense. But whether highly targeted or relied on for blocking, Branch is prepared to bring 100% effort every snap, aiming to spark the explosive play required to beat 'Bama.

“I try to affect the game as much as possible every single play, whether I’m getting the ball or not,” Branch said. “If I’m not getting the ball, I have to block. I’m not going to just be out there just being a player on the field. I’ll try to affect the game in a positive way for my team as much as I can.”

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AP Sports Writer Charles Odum contributed to this report.

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