UGA Football Star Zachariah Branch Sounds Off At Sugar Bowl Media Day

New Orleans, LA - Georgia Bulldog wide receiver Zachariah Branch spoke with the media this week about Ole Miss, the 2025 season, and more.

Q. Your uncle (Cliff Branch) played a Super Bowl in the Superdome and won. How does that make you feel that the family history in the Dome, and what you hope to be able to do this week?

ZACHARIAH BRANCH: Oh, yeah, that's my guy. He's an all-time great. Just to get to play in a stadium that he played in, and actually won a prestigious game as well, it's something that's important for the family. Definitely just trying to do the same thing and represent my family in the right way.

Q. And does your uncle (Cliff Branch) have any advice, or has he given you any advice on being on such a big stage. Like obviously, Super Bowl is huge, but this is a new era of college football. This is College Football Playoff. Has he given you either any advice or kind of told you what to expect and how to move through the day?

ZACHARIAH BRANCH: No, I haven't gotten any advice. He, unfortunately, passed away a couple of years ago. I haven't had a chance to chop it up with him too much about the college playoffs and everything like that. But he definitely gave me advice throughout my life and things like that. Just to put your best foot forward and let God control everything and your destiny after that. So that's something that I will always live by. I just let God control the things that I have in the future. So very blessed for this opportunity again.

Q. How are you guys going to attack the Ole Miss defense? Do you have a specific mentality going into this game, and how you are going to go against them?

ZACHARIAH BRANCH: They have a really good team. We played them last time, and we saw that as well, that they have a great team. They are always going to fight and have good energy. So our goal is just to go out there and execute the game plan that our coaches have provided for us, the best as possible.

Q. You lead the nation, I believe, in yards after catch. What's the key to being great with the ball in your hands?

 ZACHARIAH BRANCH: I didn't even know that. That's pretty cool. But I think just having that mentality of just trying to do what's best for my team, trying to get us in the best position possible. I know that the coaches, if they have enough trust in me to give me the ball, I want to make the best of it every time, because I want the ball again.

Q. How do you feel about the nickname YACariah?

ZACHARIAH BRANCH: I've been seeing that at a lot of places. My mom actually started calling me that when I went back home for Christmas and stuff. She was, like, YACariah. It was pretty cool just to know that I can go things with the ball in my hands after I get the ball to help my team be in certain positions. So it's pretty good.

Q. Non-Georgia-related question. I had a buddy that coached on Brookwood High School staff. Tell me about the performance you put on when you were at Bishop Gorman against Brookwood. I think you scored a touchdown in every facet possible. You had 49 points first half by yourself.

ZACHARIAH BRANCH: Yes, I did. I think I had four touchdowns total, three receiving and then one punt return. That was actually my first game back from -- I think I had a little ankle injury. So I had to come back with a little vengeance to show that I had still had it. It was definitely -- they were a good team. It's pretty cool just to get a chance to play somebody from Georgia and have them come into our house. And then we had a great team that year as well. It was fun to be able to do with my teammates.

Q. Obviously, got really good bloodlines through your family, a number of great athletes. Where does the speed come from in your family? You are a 10 300-meter runner, aren't you? Where does that come from?

ZACHARIAH BRANCH: I feel like it probably comes from my parents. They got great genes too. My dad was an athlete; my mom was an athlete as well. My dad played collegiately and professional level as well. So he definitely has a lot of the speed that carried over, and my mom was an athlete as well in high school and things like that. And then we just have a history of fast people in our bloodline. Like Cliff Branch is my great uncle for the Raiders. Everybody know he was pretty fast. He had the little speed corner and things like that. It just runs in the family for sure.

Q. What do you personally need to improve upon from that first match-up against these guys?

ZACHARIAH BRANCH: I think just bringing that energy every single play and kind of being there for my team every single play and just execute every single call that's given to us to go out there and be victorious.

Q. You're, I think, four catches away from breaking the UGA record for receptions on the season. What would that mean to make school history in the first year that you are with this team?

ZACHARIAH BRANCH: That's a blessing, man. I can only give credit all to God to be able to allow me to play the game that I love every single week in and out with a great team. I wouldn't be able to do it without everybody on the offense as well. Coach [Mike] Bobo drawing up the plays, the O-line blocking, because if they don't get their blocks, then I won't be able to get the ball. And Gunner [Stockton] making the right reads, the other receivers doing the right things to be able to get me open as well, is something that's really important for all of that to happen. And that's a pretty cool opportunity to hear, for sure.