Illinois' 21-17 win over South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl -- a historic marker for the Fighting Illini, who for the first time since 2001 eclipsed 10 wins in season -- was overshadowed by a bizarre feud between two of college football's most colorful head coaches.

If you need proof that non-CFP bowl games matter, look no further than the Citrus Bowl between South Carolina and Illinois on Tuesday. This game got so testy, the two head coaches almost needed to trade in their headsets for boxing gloves.

Beamer's anger likely stemmed from a tit-for-tat battle between the two coaches, each of whom were sending in late substitutions all game long. And Bielema's laughter occurred shortly after the heated interaction, when he sent in three defensive players with the play clock winding down, forcing Beamer to burn a timeout.

Shane Beamer erupted on Tuesday after Bret Bielema appeared to taunt South Carolina's coach during the Citrus Bowl:

On Tuesday, the South Carolina football team will cap off its 2024 season in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against Illinois. For the past month, ever since the Gamecocks beat Clemson in dramatic fashion only to learn the College Football Playoff Committee didn’t seem to care much, the goal for this team has been to prove that was a mistake.

After Illini defensive back Jaheim Clarke went down with an injury, his coach Bret Bielema walked over to check on him. Once he was done with the check-up, he held his arms out to both sides in the signal for substitution. He did this with quite a bit of attitude, and in the direction of Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer.

Shane Beamer took exception to a gesture made by Illinois coach Bret Bielema during the Citrus Bowl on Tuesday night.

Tuesday's Cheez-It Citrus Bowl between Illinois and South Carolina turned fiery in the third quarter when Gamecocks head coach Shane Beamer took exception to Bielema making a taunting gesture in the direction of South Carolina's sideline after SC defensive back Jaheim Clarke went down on the field with an injury.

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.

The heated exchange pitting Bret Bielema and Shane Beamer against each other kept social media buzzing on New Year's Day. Illinois won the Citrus Bowl against South Carolina, 21-17, capping a 10-win season.