"This takes thuggery to a new level": Fans irate over Dylan Stewart's fake gun celebration during South Carolina's Week 6 game
The South Carolina Gamecocks (3-2, 1-2 SEC) suffered a tough 27-3 loss on their home turf against archrival No. 12 Ole Miss Rebels (5-1, 1-1) on Saturday. While the recent loss for the Gamecocks isn't something to be proud of, one particular play by defensive end Dylan Stewart has drawn all the attention.
In the third quarter, with the Rebels leading 24-3, Stewart impressed everyone by sacking Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart. However, his celebration after the sack drew a penalty. Dylan Stewart shocked the crowd by mimicking a gun-firing gesture at the sacked QB, who was still reeling from the hit.
Despite his solid performance, which included four tackles and 1.0 sack, fans were outraged by the celebration, calling it unsportsmanlike, especially considering the 23-point deficit.
One fan took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their frustration, writing:
"@GamecockFB and @SEC congrats….this takes thuggery to a new level. Queue the rhetoric about 'student athletes' and 'academic excellence."
Another disappointed fan reacted to Stewart's unnecessary act, stating:
"Doing this down 27-3 is wild"
Dylan Stewart's celebration after the sack led to a 15-yard penalty that extended the drive, which would have otherwise been a fourth down. This allowed Rebels placekicker Caden Davis to score a 44-yard field goal, extending the lead to 27-3.
Here are some other fan reactions to Dylan Stewart's fake gun celebration:
"Stupid celebration cost the Gamecocks 15 yards," stated an X (formerly Twitter) user.
"In the NFL, that’s a suspension + fine," said one fan.
"Not really a great look here.," another fan said.
"Bro's getting suspended for 3 games and sent to a firearm education class if he does this in the NFL," a football enthusiast remarked.
"Unacceptable," commented another social media user.
"Why do our players always have to do some ghetto shit like this?" a Seminoles fan mentioned.
Stewart garnered attention with his good performances as a freshman, adding strength to South Carolina's defense. So far, he has 8 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles this season. However, he will need to tone down his excitement following his impressive plays.
Gamecocks face tough road ahead against ranked opponents
The South Carolina Gamecocks suffered their second loss on Saturday following a bye week, which was quite the opposite of how they looked in Week 4 when they defeated Akron 50-7. Before losing to No. 12 Ole Miss, they suffered a heartbreaking 36-33 loss against No. 13 LSU in Week 3.
They have been defeated by both Top 25 ranked teams they have faced and their upcoming matchups are also very challenging. Next up, they face three back-to-back games against highly ranked teams. In Week 7, they will meet No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide, followed by No. 19 Oklahoma and No. 25 Texas A&M.
Additionally, they also have to play against No. 9 Missouri and No. 15 Clemson at the end of the season.