South Carolina's 41-39 loss to Florida on Saturday may have caused head coach Shane Beamer more pain physically than emotionally.
Beamer told reporters on Tuesday he suffered a broken bone in his right foot when he "kicked something I shouldn't have kicked" following the game.
Beamer went on to explain he was "frustrated" by the "gut-wrenching, emotional loss" his team suffered. He added that South Carolina athletic director Ray Tanner "died laughing" when he told him about the injury and what caused it.
It's easy to see where Beamer's frustration was coming from. His team opened up a 37-27 lead after Spencer Rattler's 33-yard touchdown pass to Joshua Simon with 9:11 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Florida's defense forced a punt on South Carolina's next possession. Graham Mertz led the Gators on a nine-play, 75-yard drive that was capped off by Ricky Pearsall's go-ahead touchdown catch 47 seconds left to play.
Rattler's attempt to lead a comeback for the Gamecocks ended when he was picked off by Miguel Mitchell. Florida did take a safety with four seconds remaining to cut the deficit to 41-39, but South Carolina didn't have time to run another offensive play before the game ended.
The loss dropped South Carolina to 2-4 overall this season and sixth place in the SEC East division. Its only victory over a non-FCS opponent was a 37-30 triumph over Mississippi State on Sept. 23.
Beamer will need his team to rally over the final six weeks of the regular season to avoid his first losing season as head coach. The 46-year-old went 15-11 in his first two seasons combined with the Gamecocks.
South Carolina will go on the road to play No. 20 Missouri (6-1) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.
