Fresh off a banner season, South Carolina is betting big on Shane Beamer, extending his contract through 2030. At $8.15 million a year, he’s sitting pretty as the SEC’s 9th-highest-paid coach, right up there with Brent Venables. Garnet and Black it is! But even with all the football glory, Beamer’s latest catch isn’t a touchdown—it’s a heartwarming fishing trip with his son. This off-field moment has fans hooked, sparking some shades of rivalry in the air.

On Feb. 16, Shane Beamer took to Twitter to share a wholesome moment—a fishing trip with his son. “What a great day in the Low Country of SC….” he captioned, posting snapshots of the father-son outing. Doubling down on his love for the Palmetto State, Beamer added, “Once again, there’s nothing better than living in South Carolina (especially living in Columbia and playing football 😉!!).” But amid the heartwarming post, one detail stole the spotlight—a bright orange hat. And in South Carolina, orange isn’t just any color. It’s Clemson’s.

We are all aware of the rivalry between Dabo Swinney’s Clemson and Beamer’s South Carolina. Since 1896, SC and Clemson have had one of the most intense rivalries in NCAA football. Known as the “Palmetto Bowl,” this yearly matchup is a struggle for state dominance rather than merely a game. One of the most notorious incidents occurred in 2004 when both colleges turned down possible bowl invitations following a furious game that resulted in a brawl between the two teams. Jadeveon Clowney, a legend from SC, made fun of Clemson QB Tajh Boyd in 2013 by claiming that he was “scared” to face the Gamecocks’ defensive line.

Not only this, the rivalry is not limited to the field either. When Clemson was riding high, winning national championships in 2016 and 2018, you could find Gamecock fans trying to downplay their success, maybe pointing to asterisks or anything to take the edge off. But then, in 2022, the tables turned.

South Carolina pulled off a nail-biter of a win, 31-30, snapping a painful seven-game losing streak to their rivals. The celebrations in Columbia were absolutely electric—pure catharsis. It just goes to show how much this game means to both sides. This rivalry isn’t just about what happens on the field on game day. It’s a year-round battle, from heated trash talk to fierce recruiting battles, all adding fuel to the fire. So, Beamer was forced to clear the air on his unexpected Clemson-colored gesture.

He quickly reassured fans, writing, “And don’t worry #GamecockNation, this is the ONLY time we’ll be wearing orange 🤷🏻‍♂️👊🏻🤙🏻.” But Gamecock faithful weren’t letting it slide so easily. Social media lit up with passionate pleas from fans, urging their beloved coach to ditch the orange for good. For South Carolina supporters, even a simple hat in their rival’s color was too much to ignore.

Request from SC supporters to Shane Beamer

See the rise of South Carolina under Shane Beamer. Since taking over in 2021, he’s completely changed the program’s trajectory. And the Gamecocks went from struggling to stunning top teams. On top of that, in just his 2nd season, Beamer led them to back-to-back top-10 wins over the Vols and Clemson—something fans hadn’t seen in years.

And with that kind of success, some things can slide. And that’s exactly why Beamer’s recent Clemson-colored gesture on his fishing trip didn’t cause an uproar. Fans took it in stride. One joked, “We’ll allow it this time, Coach. Looks like a grand time.” Another added, “Love it! Minus wearing orange lol.” Looks like even with a little orange in the mix, Beamer’s place in Gamecock Nation is rock solid.

However, not every fan accepted it. Any touch of orange is difficult for some Clemson supporters to embrace because they still feel the pain of previous defeats. A fervent supporter begged, “🚫🟠 please coach!” while another retorted, “Take the orange off, Coach. Only men wear it, not crash outs.” It is obvious that orange is more than simply a color to some members of Gamecock Nation; it is an enduring rivalry.

One fan took a different approach, embracing the moment over the rivalry. And they commented, “As an outdoorsman and Gamecock, this makes me happy to see. Hope the birds were flushing and the fish were biting 👍 Go Cocks 🤙🏻🐔.” To be honest, for some, it wasn’t about the color—it was about the memories made. After all, a good day outdoors is a win, no matter what you’re wearing. What do you think?