Coaches in the SEC rarely admit to personal rivalries, or in any other league really. They stick to clichés about respect and focusing on the game. But don't let all that coach speak fool you. The animosity between Kentucky's Mark Stoops and South Carolina's Shane Beamer is real, and it’s about to add another fiery chapter this Saturday night in Columbia.
The feud is a culmination of subtle jabs, perceived slights, and one infamous comment about "stupid sunglasses."
The "climate" change comment
It all started at SEC Media Days in 2022. Kentucky had won seven of the previous eight games against South Carolina.