Kirby Smart Slams Jake Pope for Celebrating with Ole Miss Fans After Georgia Loss

In a surprising and controversial moment, Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Jake Pope was caught on camera celebrating with Ole Miss fans on the field following Georgia‘s 28-10 loss to Ole Miss on Saturday.

The video shows Pope smiling and jumping up and down with a group of fans, who were wearing merchandise of Ole Miss offensive lineman Reece McIntyre. McIntyre and Pope are from the same hometown of Buford, Georgia, and played high school football together for the Buford Wolves.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart addressed the incident on Monday, expressing his disappointment and frustration. Smart stated, “What an idiot. Just stupid… He’s embarrassed about it. He’s upset about it. It’s obviously a childhood friend of his … To be honest with you, I don’t have time to waste energy on that, you know what I’m saying?” Smart emphasized that his focus is on the upcoming matchup against Tennessee rather than dwelling on the incident.

Jake Pope, a former 4-star prospect in the Class of 2022, transferred to Georgia from Alabama for the 2024 season. He has not logged any stats for the Bulldogs this season. Pope’s actions have sparked criticism from Bulldogs fans, who are already concerned about the team’s performance and the tight SEC standings.

The Bulldogs are in a critical position, needing to avoid another loss to stay competitive in the SEC. Their next game is against AP No. 6 Tennessee, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on ABC on Saturday.