Zachariah Branch transfer rumors: Surprise CFP contender could upend Georgia’s dream

With USC falling apart at the seams, top transfer portal target Zachariah Branch is on the move. While he was not the first player off last year's Trojans to leave, he also may not be the last. Branch has been tied to several schools, including the likes of Georgia and Louisville. However, there is one other team out there that could potentially land him and his brother Zion Branch in the portal: Arizona State.

247Sports' Matt Zenitz reported earlier in the day on Friday that the Branch brothers visited Georgia as a possible transfer portal destination for both. He later added that Arizona State remains very much in the mix to land the two as well. Georgia has the financial resources to compete with anybody in the transfer portal market, but Kenny Dillingham has awoken the sleeping giant down in The Valley.

It may be purely coincidental, but the fact that Georgia and Arizona State both have first-round byes to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals as one of the four highest-ranked conference champions might mean something. It might make it easier to visit ahead of Christmas. Conversely, Arizona State has largely rebuilt itself so quickly by way of the portal, whereas Georgia often uses it to complement its roster.

The fact we are seeing Arizona State being a player for a guy that Georgia wants is quite remarkable.

What this means for both parties is that both Branch brothers may value winning above all else ... besides NIL, of course.

Arizona State pushing Georgia to land USC WR Zachariah Branch in portal

The other big factor is where the Branch brothers are from. They played their high school football at Las Vegas powerhouse Bishop Gorman. It may be a school that sends players all over the country, but it has regularly seen its players go to former Pac-12 institutions. Though Arizona State and USC are out-of-state and no longer in the Pac-12, Bishop Gorman is a school both programs recruit from.

Then again, Georgia is such a juggernaut under Kirby Smart that the Dawgs recruit nationally. While they have enough players in-state to supplement their entire program, what if Georgia's annual crop of high school talent is just not good enough? We have seen players from Arizona, California and Pennsylvania all become legends Between the Hedges. Former tight end Darnell Washington was from Las Vegas, too.

Ultimately, the transfer portal might be the great equalizer across major college football. Yes, traditional powers like Georgia are going to win big in pretty much every facet of the sport. However, hidden gems like Arizona State can attempt to close the gap with supplemental transfer portal success in the short-term, so long as it is only complementary later on. Recruitment is everything...

With the Branch Brothers likely being a package deal, whoever lands one will probably land the other.