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.
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