Kirby Smart expresses regret after referring to a Georgia player as an 'idiot' for seemingly joining in with Ole Miss fans' celebrations.

Kirby Smart, the Georgia coach, expressed regret for referring to backup safety Jake Pope as an "idiot" after he celebrated with Mississippi fans following the Bulldogs' loss to the Rebels. He also stated that Pope spoke to the team following the incident.

After Georgia's 28-10 loss, Pope became viral on social media when he joined in with the Mississippi fans who rushed the field.

He later apologized in a lengthy post, explaining that he was caught off guard by the attendance of his family friends at the game and was reacting to that, not Georgia's defeat.

"Pope stated that the outcome of the game did not reflect who he truly was, and he would never celebrate a loss in this program. Anyone who knew him well knew this. Pope's long-time family friends had surprised him after the game while he was trying to get off the field safely and were thrilled to see him."

"Just stupid," Smart said to the media after the game.

On Tuesday, the coach apologized for his choice of words.

"I prefer not to discuss the internal affairs of others. Despite my reservations, Jake did an excellent job addressing the team. Although I regret calling the kid an idiot, it was a mistake on my part. Nonetheless, I value Jake's contributions."

He is a diligent and cooperative individual who understands the emotional error he made and communicated it to the team. As a result, I admire his handling of the situation.

On Tuesday, Georgia's loss on Saturday resulted in their exclusion from the 12-team playoff bracket. Nonetheless, they will host Tennessee on Saturday night.