WATCH: Punches fly on Miami sidelines as fight breaks out between players during Pop-Tarts Bowl

Following what was a successful but ultimately disappointing season for Miami in 2024, the team took on Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday. The Hurricanes' disappointing result at the end of the season saw them miss the conference title game and the College Football Playoff.

Nonetheless, the Hurricanes set out for a tough fight against the Cyclones on Saturday at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. However, they witnessed a surprising turn of events in the game when two of its players started to exchange blows on the sideline.

The altercation involved defensive linemen Simeon Barrow Jr. and Marquise Lightfoot. Lightfoot seemingly initiated the confrontation by throwing the first punch following an apparent argument. The cause of the disagreement that escalated into physical conflict remains unclear.

Barrow Jr. established himself as a cornerstone of the Hurricanes' defense. With 5.5 sacks and 28 total tackles, Barrow has been a dominant force on the field, consistently demonstrating his value as one of the team’s most impactful defensive players this year.

Meanwhile, Lightfoot has yet to make his mark statistically for the Hurricanes. The true freshman had limited game time in the 2024 season but he is expected to be an important for the program in the coming years.

Fans react to Miami players' sideline altercation in the Pop-Tarts Bowl

The fight between the two Miami players in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday generated a lot of reactions from college football fans. It was largely not what anyone would have anticipated, creating room for widespread criticism among fans who saw the scene.

While many fans blamed the two players for lack of discipline, others hit out at Miami coach Mario Cristobal for not instituting a solid culture in the program. Here's a look at some of the reactions online:

“Awful look. I’ll never understand how anyone wants to play there,” a fan wrote.

Here are other reactions to the altercation online:

“Cristobal needs to really get control of his team this offseason he gets Miami etc and is a graduate but I mean this stuff just can’t go on if he’s going to bring Miami back,” another fan wrote.

“Play 1 ranked team and all the sudden they're fighting each other on the sidelines,” a fan commented.

“Mario building a great culture in South Beach, I see,” another fan commented.

The Hurricanes went on to lose the game 42-41 to Iowa State on Saturday, further extending the team's late disappointment in 2024. Nonetheless, the fight between Barrow Jr. and Lightfoot became the talking point among fans following the game.