Tensions flared during the Citrus Bowl as Illinois coach Bret Bielema and South Carolina coach Shane Beamer engaged in a heated exchange following an injury to Illinois defensive back Jaheim Clarke. Bielema appeared to taunt the South Carolina sideline with a substitution signal after Clarke was injured, drawing a furious reaction from Beamer. The Gamecocks coach had to be restrained by staff, referees, and even some of his own players.

The game was marked by several taunting penalties, reflecting the intensity of the matchup. While Bielema downplayed the incident in his postgame comments, referring to it simply as "a football game," the confrontation clearly added fuel to the fire. South Carolina rallied briefly after the incident, scoring a touchdown to take a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter.

However, Illinois responded with a decisive 75-yard drive to reclaim the lead at 21-17. South Carolina's subsequent drive stalled inside the 10-yard line, allowing Illinois to secure the victory by running out the clock. The win marked Illinois' fifth 10-win season in program history and their first since 2001.