Redshirt sophomore defensive back Jake Pope found himself in a tough situation just minutes after his Georgia Bulldogs suffered a 28-10 loss to No. 16 Ole Miss. He was spotted celebrating with Ole Miss fans who stormed the field following the victory.
The context behind his actions was a chance encounter with the supporters of Ole Miss offensive lineman Reece McIntyre, a former high school teammate. This led Pope to join in on the festivities with McIntyre’s group. However, this moment was captured on video and, despite the context, it did not reflect well on Pope.
“Yeah, what an idiot. Just stupid,” Georgia head coach Kirby Smart remarked about the incident, as reported by 247Sports. “He’s embarrassed and upset about it. He was just reconnecting with a childhood friend… To be honest, I don’t have time to waste energy on that.”
Smart emphasized the importance of focusing on their upcoming game against No. 7 Tennessee, as the Bulldogs now have two losses and need to concentrate on their chances for the newly established 12-team College Football Playoff.
While the incident may not have significant implications in the grand scheme of things, it could pose a problem for Pope within the fanbase, especially in the SEC. It will be interesting to see if there are any further consequences beyond Smart’s comments.
