It was already a terrible experience for Georgia supporters to see their favorite Bulldogs fall to Ole Miss last Saturday. However, their ire was stoked when a video appeared on their social media timelines.
Following Georgia’s 28-10 defeat in Oxford, defensive back Jake Pope was seen on camera having a party with a Rebels player. For Bulldog Nation, Pope’s presence amidst the Ole Miss frenzy was perplexing.
Kirby Smart, the head coach of Georgia, described Pope’s postgame behavior as “stupid.”
“What a fool. Smart described Pope as “just stupid” on Monday. “He’s embarrassed about it, but I didn’t see it until today. It has upset him.
Pope was celebrating, according to Smart, with “a childhood friend of his” who “he played with” and “hadn’t seen in forever.”
“Just not real smart,” further stated Smart. To tell the truth, though, I don’t have the time or energy to squander on it. I’m concentrating on Tennessee. That’s more concerning to me.”
The Volunteers (8-1) should worry Smart because they are going to Athens for their SEC matchup on Saturday, and a third loss could put the Bulldogs (7-2) out of the running for the College Football Playoffs.
Pope, who transferred to Georgia after two seasons at Alabama, apologized on Twitter on Monday. He explained his feelings following the Ole Miss defeat by saying that he was surprised to “see them as well” and that his longtime family friends were thrilled “to see me after the game.”
Caleb Cunningham, an Alabama WR recruit, is traded to Ole Miss.
Four days after Caleb Cunningham, a four-star wide receiver, visited the team during the Rebels’ Week 11 victory over Georgia, Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss executed a crucial late-cycle flip Wednesday afternoon, winning a commitment from the former Alabama pledge.
In the 2025 cycle, ESPN ranks Cunningham, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound receiver from Ackerman, Mississippi, as the 21st overall talent. Since his initial commitment to Alabama in July, Cunningham, the No. 2 wide receiver prospect in 2025, had been a mainstay of Kalen DeBoer’s first recruiting class with the Crimson Tide. His departure is a late blow to an Alabama class that is ranked first in ESPN’s team rankings for the cycle.
Cunningham is currently the top-ranked prospect in an Ole Miss class that features five pledges from inside the 2025 ESPN 300 after flipping to the home-state Rebels. Cunningham is one of four Mississippians that have committed to Kiffin’s team in 2025, joining defensive tackle Andrew Maddox (No. 257), outside linebacker Jarcoby Hopson (No. 190), and cornerback Cortez Thomas (No. 125 in the ESPN 300).
Ladarian Clardy, a four-star safety from Pensacola, Florida, ranks No. 29 in ESPN’s most recent class rankings and completes the group of ESPN 300 athletes in a Rebels class that has 19 overall commitments.
Before his flip, Cunningham was the third-ranked player in Alabama’s 2025 class. Last fall, he set a number of school records in his junior season as a three-sport athlete at Choctaw County High School, hauling in 48 passes for 1,138 yards and 14 touchdowns.
On July 13, Cunningham made his first commitment to the Crimson Tide, selecting Alabama over finalists Florida, Auburn, and Tennessee, as well as Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Despite his unwavering commitment to the Crimson Tide into Cunningham’s senior year this autumn, Ole Miss continued to court Cunningham, and he made many trips back to Oxford during a run of SEC campus visits this fall. Cuningham and Auburn QB commit Deuce Knight witnessed the Rebels defeat Georgia 28–10 on Saturday during his most recent visit to Ole Miss. A few days later, Cunningham is now Kiffin’s 2025 class’s jewel in the crown.
In the most recent College Football Playoff rankings, which were made public Tuesday night, Ole Miss moved up five spots to No. 11. The Rebels (8-2) will take Week 12 off before heading to Florida on November 23.
