Things got heated during Tuesday’s Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, as Illinois coach Bret Bielema and South Carolina coach Shane Beamer had a heated exchange on the sidelines.
The incident occurred during the third quarter of the game as Illinois trainers attended to an injured player near the South Carolina sideline.
Bielema, after checking on his player, made an arms-out gesture toward Beamer, who responded by screaming at the Illinois coach, having to be held back by his assistants.
— no context college football (@nocontextcfb) December 31, 2024
The Bielema gesture seemingly referenced Beamer’s frustration with the Illini’s substitutions during the game, as the Gamecocks were forced to call timeouts during the game because of late subs by Illinois.
Under NCAA rules, defensive teams get to match substitutions if an offensive unit substitutes players, and South Carolina became increasingly agitated during the game as Illinois seemingly took their time to get new players on the field.
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