Shane Beamer, Bret Bielema's Heated Citrus Bowl Altercation Instantly Became a Meme

Tim Capurso | Dec 31, 2024

Shane Beamer and the Gamecocks lost 21–17 to Illinois on Tuesday. / David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Citrus Bowl, a 21-17 victory for the Illinois Fighting Illini over the South Carolina Gamecocks, turned testy in the third quarter when Fighting Illini coach Bret Bielema, who was checking on injured defensive back Jaheim Clarke, appeared to taunt the South Carolina sideline and Gamecocks coach Shane Beamer while walking back to his own sideline.

Beamer did not appreciate the gesture and ran out onto the field, shouting in Bielema's direction as multiple assistants held him back. The heated interaction spread like wildfire on social media, and also quickly became a meme.

Check out the amusing image of Beamer and Bielema, which closely resembles a popular internet meme.

Shane Beamer and Bret Bielema literally did the meme. It’s perfection. pic.twitter.com/2MK5XXobsI

— Cory Smith (@RCorySmith) December 31, 2024

And that user on X (formerly Twitter) wasn't the only one to make the connection.

Beamer and Bielema for real just did this in the cheez it citrus bowl pic.twitter.com/LJP6rUtvBp

— Jessica Smetana (@jessica_smetana) December 31, 2024

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.

And that sequence was depicted beautifully in this meme.

The internet is undefeated. Hang it in the Louvre.

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