On Tuesday, South Carolina’s football coach Shane Beamer passionately motivated his team during the Citrus Bowl showdown against Illinois.

As the Gamecocks neared Illinois’ red zone in the third quarter, Beamer had to be restrained after Fighting Illini coach Bret Bielema seemed to mock him by mimicking a substitution signal typically used by officials.

During a timeout to attend an injured player, Bielema was caught on the ESPN broadcast appearing to taunt Beamer.

This action provoked a strong reaction from Beamer, who was seen yelling and attempting to confront Bielema as several staff members tried to pull him back.

Amid the commotion, numerous players from both teams gathered on the field while tensions eased.

“Shane just turned to me and said, ‘You saw what he did,’” reported ESPN sideline reporter Quint Kessenich during the broadcast. “I did see it. He taunted the opposing coach.”

This season, Illinois has effectively employed late substitutions to maneuver around opposing defenses, particularly prompting Beamer’s upset reaction, especially following Bielema’s apparent taunt about the substitutions.

During the same drive, the Gamecocks took the lead 17-14 after quarterback LaNorris Sellers connected with Joshua Simon for a 6-yard touchdown pass, stirring Beamer into a celebratory outburst.

Recently, Beamer shared his thoughts with The Greenville News regarding his emotional presence as a coach, which was prominently displayed during the game.

“There was criticism that came my way,” Beamer recounted. “People were saying, ‘He’s too emotional to be a head coach. Look at him now. They lost the game, and he was crying.’ Last year, that was negative because we finished 5-7. This year, it’s ‘Look how much he cares.’

While some bowl games in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff era feel less significant, the Citrus Bowl matchup between South Carolina and Illinois felt particularly intense in 2024.

(This story has been updated to incorporate new information.)