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.

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.

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.

An Illinois football player was down near the South Carolina sideline at one point in the second half and Bret Bielema went over to check on his player. He then did the T-bar gesture that you will see on kickoffs as he walked away, and Shane Beamer thought that Bielema was taunting him. Bielema explained what happened after the game.

Bret Bielema and South Carolina HC Shane Beamer had a bit of a moment during the Citrus Bowl on Tuesday evening.

All hell broke loose in the third quarter of the Cheez-It Bowl on Tuesday. It wasn’t the players. It was South Carolina coach Shane Beamer going after Illinois’ Bret Bielema. An Illinois DB was injured on a long pass play by South Carolina. Bielema came across the field to check on his player.

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

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema and South Carolina's Shane Beamer got into it during the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl Tuesday night and it doesn't seem like their feud will calm down anytime soon. Beamer explained that he believed Bielema was upset because of a trick play South Carolina ran on a kickoff return.