Georgia's Kirby Smart - Jake Pope celebrating with Ole Miss fans 'just stupid' - ESPN

Georgia coach Kirby Smart called backup safety Jake Pope's actions «just stupid» after the player was caught seemingly celebrating with Ole Miss fans on the field in the wake of the Rebels' 28-10 victory over the then-No. 3 Bulldogs at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Saturday.

Smart, speaking during a news conference Monday, told reporters that Pope was celebrating with friends from Buford High School in Georgia.

«What an idiot. I mean, just stupid,» Smart said. «I didn't see it until today, but he's embarrassed about it. He's upset about it. That's obviously a childhood friend of his that he grew up and played with there at Buford and he knows him, hadn't seen him in forever, but just not real smart.

»To be honest with you, I don't have time to waste energy on that. My focus is on Tennessee. I'm not worried about that."

The Bulldogs host Tennessee in what might be a CFP elimination game at Sanford Stadium on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET/ABC, ESPN+).

Pope, who spent two seasons at Alabama before transferring to Georgia this year, apologized in a statement posted to X on Monday, saying he was «sorry for the way it was taken out of perspective and has caused distractions/commotion for my teammates.»

«This is not representative of who I am in any way,» Pope said in the statement. «In no way, shape or form would I ever celebrate a loss in this program and anyone who knows me well knows that. My long-time family friends had come up to me unexpectedly after the game as I was trying to get off the field to safety and were extremely excited to see me after the game.

»I was also surprised to see them as well and that's why you saw the reaction that I gave via the video."

Pope, who has played in three games for the Bulldogs, said he