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Shane Beamer vs. Bret Bielema: Social media explodes after coaches go at it in Citrus Bowl
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Shane Beamer and Bret Bielema are no longer friends.
After the head coaches for South Carolina and Illinois spoke glowingly of each other throughout the week leading up to Tuesday’s Citrus Bowl, all hell broke loose late in the third quarter when Bielema chose to taunt Beamer while tending to an injured player.
Throughout the game, Illinois took advantage of substitution rules when South Carolina was on offense. When the Gamecocks would substitute, Illinois would counter but do so as slowly as possible. As a result, the Gamecocks were routinely left with 10 seconds or less on the play clock by the time the officials stepped away from the spotted ball.
While Bielema was near the South Carolina sideline late in the third, he flashed the substitution signal in Beamer’s direction as a nod to the very obvious gamesmanship.
Shane Beamer exploded afterward, launching into a tirade directed at Bielema and needing to be restrained by several South Carolina assistants.
The ABC broadcast crew caught the whole thing and remarkably pivoted from a shot of Beamer, red-faced and livid, to Bielema standing on the sideline with a grin stretched across his face.
To the unbiased observer, the interaction was hilarious. Illinois fans loved Bielema’s poking. South Carolina fans loved Beamer sticking up for his team. And now, everyone wants to see the 2 coaches square up in the parking lot after the game.
Here’s some of the best reactions from social media
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
