Georgia defensive back Jake Pope found himself in a bit of hot water coming out of a weekend that included a devastating loss for the Bulldogs in Oxford.

On Saturday, Ole Miss took it to Georgia, winning a resounding matchup that puts Lane Kiffin’s program on the doorstep of a College Football Playoff appearance. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs head to a likely do-or-die showdown vs. Tennessee, and Pope was caught in an awkward video after the loss.

In that video, Pope appears to be taking part in the on-field celebration as Ole Miss fans flooded the field. That video quickly made its way across social media, and it even elicited strong comments from Kirby Smart with the head coach calling it “just stupid” and referenced Pope as an “idiot.”

Now, Pope is addressing the matter himself with a statement shared on social media. He apologized for the video itself being “taken out of perspective” and creating a distraction for the Bulldogs but also said the video doesn’t represent who he is.

According to Pope’s explanation, it was a longtime family friend who he was genuinely excited to see:

“I was also surprised to see them as well and that’s why you saw the reaction that I gave via the video,” wrote Pope. “They are also very close with my former teammate and longtime friend on the Ole Miss team which is why they have those jerseys on…

“I am Georgia through thick and thin and have never loved a group of guys more than the guys I got to battle with day in and day out.”

❤️ pic.twitter.com/jp5Flo5ifg

— Jake Pope (@JakePope24) November 11, 2024

Paul Harvey

Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.