Georgia head coach Kirby Smart got a lot of heat on Saturday night despite coming out with a 41-31 win over Mississippi State at home in Sanford Stadium.
Mississippi State quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. made a 6-yard gain with 2:55 left in the game and was pushed out of bounds on Georgia’s sideline by safety Dan Jackson.
While Smart was running over to defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann, he pushed Van Buren out of the way.
Emotions were clearly running high after the play, as Smart was seen ripping off his visor and yelling at Schumann when Van Buren got into his path. Smart clarified that he was trying to get Schumann’s attention when the shove occurred.
“I think I was going after Schumann,” Smart told reporters after the game. “I was trying to get Schumann’s attention. We were trying to change personnel. I think it’s the play they came over to our sideline and trying to get Schumann’s attention. But, no, I don’t really remember it.”
No penalty was given against Smart for running into the quarterback.
However, some Mississippi State fans thought the incident warranted some punishment to Georgia after the shove happened directly in front of an official.
“Hey @GregSankey why did Kirby Smart just make physical contact with our QB and the refs do nothing????” an X account wrote, tagging the commissioner of the SEC.
Van Buren didn’t know what to make of the situation and Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby did not comment on the situation, explaining he hadn’t seen what happened.
“I’m not really sure what that was but I was just trying to play my game,” Van Buren said. “I didn’t really see it for real.”
Van Buren went on to go 20-for-37 with 306 yards and three touchdowns, along with one interception, in his second college start.
