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Kirby Smart reacts to Georgia player celebrating after loss to Ole Miss
It wasn't a great look for redshirt sophomore defensive back Jake Pope. Minutes after his Georgia Bulldogs took their second loss of the season, a 28-10 defeat at the hands of No. 16 Ole Miss, Pope was seen celebrating amongst the throng of Ole Miss fans who rushed the field.
The story behind the moment was that Pope ended up running into supporters of Ole Miss offensive lineman Reece McIntyre, a high school teammate of his. That "reunion" spurred a celebratory reaction from Pope, who joined in on the jumping and celebrating with the McIntyre crew.
That was caught on video, though, and even with the context, it wasn't a great moment for the young Bulldog.
Georgia player celebrating with Ole Miss fans??? https://t.co/v4yvJLacwx pic.twitter.com/rLIVF4V57D
— On3 (@On3sports) November 11, 2024
"Yeah, what an idiot. Just stupid," Smart said of the video, according to 247Sports. "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?"
Pope apologized on X on Monday.
— Jake Pope (@JakePope24) November 11, 2024
In a blender, it's a moment that means nothing. As Smart alluded to, the Bulldogs, now with two losses, have to focus on beating No. 7 Tennessee to even have a shot at thinking about the newly-minted 12-team College Football Playoff.
That type of video could mean real trouble for a young player with the fanbase, though, especially in the SEC, so it will be interesting to see if there's any more fallout other than Smart's call-out.
More must-reads:
- No. 16 Ole Miss' defense shines in upset of No. 3 Georgia
- Watch: Ole Miss interception seals massive win over Georgia
- The '2024 NFL rushing TD leaders' quiz
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Illinois Football 2025 Scouting Report: Defensive Lineman Curt Neal
Illinois on SI is delivering scouting reports for each of the key players on the Illini football team's 2025 roster. Below, we present our breakdown of Illini sophomore defensive lineman Curt Neal. We will add more as other on-field contributors emerge during the season. Find our scouting reports of other Illinois players by searching in your favorite browser or clicking in our projected depth chart – coming soon. Curt Neal | Defensive lineman | Junior | No. 99 Hometown: Cornelius, North CarolinaHigh school: HoughTransfer school: WisconsinHeight: 6-footWeight: 310 pounds Scouting report Neal has an impressive blend of quickness, balance and power at nose tackle. He plays low and with great lean, and if he is able to avoid a blocker gaining a hand-position or leverage advantage off the snap, it's over – he already has penetration. Surprisingly light on his feet, he can stay square, get down the line and shed to make a play when a running back picks a hole or even cuts back. Neal's burst and ability to press angles give him more penetration potential than the average nose tackle, and 2025 – playing in a defense with Gabe Jacas and former Wisconsin teammates Leon Lowery Jr. and now-healthy James Thompson Jr. – may be his best opportunity yet to cash in on pass-rush opportunities with sacks. Experience After a 2022 freshman season that saw him redshirt after appearing in four games, Neal began to make headway as a sophomore, playing in all 13 of the Badgers' games, making his first start. He flourished in 2024, starting all 12 games for UW and leading all Badgers linemen in tackles (29). Given that Neal missed his entire senior year of high school football because of an injury and redshirted the next season, he may have a higher ceiling (and two more years of eligibility) than it might appear at first glance. Media highlights What they're saying "Curt is just explosive, he's violent, his transitional pass rush is second to none. He can get up the field and get vertical in a heartbeat," Illini defensive coordinator Aaron Henry said of Neal. 2025 outlook Neal will face a strong push from sophomore Angelo McCullom, for whom the Illini coaching staff seems to have high hopes, as well as edge players such as Thompson, who can be moved inside to blow up the pocket on passing downs. But his physical attributes and experience alone will earn Neal rotational reps at minimum. If he takes another step forward and makes the most of opportunities working within a sleeping giant of a defense, Neal could wrap up a starting spot and potentially even push for Big Ten honors. More from Illinois on Sports Illustrated: Illinois Football 2025 Scouting Report: Defensive Lineman James Thompson Jr. Illinois Football 2025 Scouting Report: Outside Linebacker Leon Lowery Jr. Illinois Football 2025 Scouting Report: Outside Linebacker Gabe Jacas Illinois Football 2025 Scouting Report: Outside Linebacker Joe Barna Illinois Football 2025 Scouting Report: Defensive Back Xavier Scott
Green Bay Packers: Slo-Mo Video of Malik Willis’ TD Bomb to Matthew Golden Unleashes Wild Reactions
Green Bay Packers rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden just keeps on turning heads in the offseason. On Monday, Golden grabbed attention again after making a sensational grab for a touchdown off a pass from quarterback Malik Willis. Matched up against defensive back Keisean Nixon, the former Texas Longhorns star wideout secured a deep throw from Willis and took the ball to the house for a 46-yard touchdown. Nixon couldn’t help but joke about Golden while praising the first-year downfield weapon. “He sometimes acts like he’s a vet but I try to remind him that he’s a rookie,” Nixon said (h/t Mike Spofford of the Packers’ official website). “Other than that, M.G., helluva player. You can tell why he went first round. Strong at the catch point, strong hands, strong upper body. I think he’ll have a really good year.” Green Bay Packers fans react to Golden’s touchdown score in practice The Packers shared a slo-mo video of that connection between Willias and Golden, leaving fans with all sorts of excited reactions to it. “malik is the guy ️ no one wants to admit it,” said a fan on X. Another one said: “Malik for starting QB” From a commenter: “IVE SEEN ENOUGH MALIK WILLIS 4X MVP” “Finally we might have a 1000+ yard receiver,” a social media user posted. Via a different commenter: “@eamaddennfl He ran 4.2 how tf is he a 91 speed on madden boost his speed.” Said another: “Hey 2 throwing it to 22 might be the answer.” Willis and Golden could have more magic in store for the Packers, as there’s a chance they could see action this coming Saturday’s NFL preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks at home.
New report sheds light on how Cowboys view Micah Parsons situation
It is no secret that the relationship between Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys is not on solid ground, but that does not necessarily mean it is tarnished beyond repair. On the latest episode of his podcast, which was released on Tuesday, ESPN's Adam Schefter predicted that Parsons and the Cowboys are "headed towards divorce." Schefter said the two sides have not spoken since April and that it seems like a matter of when — not if — they part ways. Longtime NFL reporter Josina Anderson was told the situation is not quite that grim, at least from the Cowboys' perspective. Anderson reported on Tuesday evening that the relationship between Parsons and Dallas "has not deteriorated to the point of an imminent divorce." "I did not detect any obvious tones of concern in my sourced conversation when I recently asked about ESPN's Adam Schefter's report stating he sees 'these two sides headed towards a divorce, in time.' ... I just feel Dallas has so much history with protracted (and) sensitive negotiations, thus my current impression is the club remains unrattled, at this time," Anderson wrote in a post on X. Parsons is earning just over $24M in the final year of his rookie contract this season. The 26-year-old had 12 sacks in 13 games last season and has 52.5 sacks in 63 career games. Parsons is arguably the best pass-rusher in the NFL when healthy. Although Parsons has formally requested a trade, the Cowboys maintain that they have no intention of dealing their four-time Pro Bowl defensive end. The only real leverage Parsons has is creating a headache in Dallas. He remains under contract, and the Cowboys also have the ability to use the franchise tag on him in each of the next two seasons. If Parsons were to sit out regular-season games, his contract would eventually toll. Even with Jerry Jones publicly taking shots at Parsons, one massive contract offer could change everything.
Browns officially make decision on starting quarterback
Cleveland Browns insider Tony Grossi of ESPN Cleveland/The Land on Demand noted late Sunday night that head coach Kevin Stefanski was "undoubtedly" going to name veteran Joe Flacco the team's Week 1 starting quarterback as soon as Tuesday. It turns out Stefanski didn't need to wait that long. Kelsey Russo of the Browns' website confirmed on Monday afternoon that Flacco will serve as Cleveland's QB1 for its regular-season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7. That post officially ended what truly became a quarterback competition in name only after presumed backup Kenny Pickett suffered a hamstring injury on July 26 that kept him out of the club's first two preseason games. Even before Pickett experienced that setback, there was no indication that Stefanski wanted to start either 2025 third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel or 2025 fifth-rounder Shedeur Sanders against the Bengals. Gabriel missed Cleveland's 30-10 win over the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 8 because of a hamstring issue but then had a solid outing in the Browns' 22-13 win over the Philadelphia Eagles this past Saturday. Sanders played well against Carolina but sat out the Eagles contest because of an oblique injury. As for Flacco, the perception exists that the 40-year-old didn't need preseason reps to be ready to go for the Cincinnati game. During the 2023 season, the one-time Super Bowl MVP won four of five starts to guide the 2023 Browns to a playoff berth. For a piece published shortly before the Browns shared their expected announcement, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated mentioned that other players in the Cleveland locker room "know Flacco is their best option" regarding Week 1. Breer added that "the Browns are comfortable keeping four quarterbacks" on their active roster through at least the early parts of the upcoming season. As of Monday, it was unclear if Pickett will be able to play in Cleveland's preseason finale versus the Los Angeles Rams this coming Saturday. One wonders if Pickett will push to take the field on Aug. 23 so that he can audition for a team that may feel its long-term answer at the position isn't on the roster today. Then again, Browns general manager Andrew Berry may elect to hold onto Pickett until Stefanski decides that either Gabriel or Sanders is ready to face a live defense in a meaningful game. For now, the Cleveland starting job is officially Flacco's to lose for the first time since January 2024.
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