“American Idol” fans are convinced they’ve figured out the identities of The Beets, a duo competing on “The Masked Singer” this season.

(Warning!: If spoilers make you grit your teeth, read no further, because we’re about to unmask the two celebrities wearing those crazy vegetable costumes.)

All the evidence points to Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken, two singers who took America by storm when they competed on “Idol” during Season 2 in 2003. Studdard, from Alabama, won the title that year; Aiken, from North Carolina, was the runner-up. They’ve been pals ever since, performing together on tour in recent years, co-hosting a Christmas show on Broadway and celebrating the 20th anniversary of their “Idol” finale episode in 2023.

Studdard and Aiken have distinctive voices, as any longtime “Idol” watcher will tell you, and fans quickly pegged them as The Beets when the costumed duo made its debut on “The Masked Singer” this week. The Beets sang “Home” by Michael Buble on Wednesday’s episode of the FOX reality series, which was themed as a “Wizard of Oz” night.

On “The Masked Singer,” celebrities compete in elaborate costumes, shielding their identities until they’re eliminated or declared the season’s winner. The Beets were declared safe after their performance on March 13, and will sing again on a future episode.

Although “Idol” fans are sure Studdard and Aiken will eventually be unmasked as The Beets, judges on “The Masked Singer” — Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy, Ken Jeong and Rita Ora — had other ideas. Their guesses for The Beets’ identities included R&B duo K-Ci and JoJo, plus actor/comedians Steve Martin and Martin Short, and Will Arnett and Jason Bateman.

Still, clues provided during the episode helped to cement the idea that Studdard, a Birmingham resident, and his buddy Aiken are behind The Beets. In a video package that emphasized the “Wizard of Oz” theme, The Beets characters said:

Beet 1: “There’s no place like home. And wouldn’t we know it. Home for us has been anywhere together. And for the moment, we had millions of eyes on us.”

Beet 2: “Yeah, 40 million of them. And even when it felt like the world was trying to pit us against each other, we’ve always have each other’s backs.”

Beet 1: “Of course, we’re family.”

Beet 2: “We work so well together. I mean, his big ol’ brain.”

Beet 1: “And his unbeatable heart.”

Beet 2: “Guess all we need now is to find the nerve to turnip together on this stage.”

Beet 1: “It’ll be like going back to our roots.”

Beet 2: “Wait a second, who’s Dorothy and who’s Toto in this relationship?”

Beet 1: “Well, I am the feisty one, so clearly I’m Toto. Probably time for you to click your heels three times, Dorothy, and take us to stage.”

Beet 2: “Here we go!”

A Thursday post on mjsbigblog, a popular fan site for reality TV, breaks down those clues and applies them directly to Studdard and Aiken. Example: “‘For a moment we had millions of eyes on us. Forty million of them.’ The American Idol Season 2 finale had about that many viewers,” blog founder Mary Jo Santilli writes.

And: “‘All we need now is to find the nerve to turnip on that stage … It will be like going back to our roots.’ Literally! Clay and Ruben performing AGAIN on a FOX competition show 21 years later,” Santilli says.

As mjsbigblog points out, “The Masked Singer” has a history of showcasing “Idol” veterans, presenting Chris Daughtry as Rottweiler, David Archuleta as Macaw and Katharine McPhee with David Foster as Banana Split.

A spoiler post on the Gold Derby site agrees with mjsbigblog, declaring that Studdard and Aiken are The Beets.

“We are so sure The Beets is Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard, who came to fame on ‘American Idol’ back in 2003,” reality TV writer Paul Sheehan says. “Don’t believe us? Besides the fact that The Beets sounds just like them, just consider how so many of the clues fit in with the lives of Clay Aiken and Ruben Studdard.

“Studdard was the winner of season 2 of ‘American Idol’ while Aiken was a close second,” Sheehan continues. “Beets referenced this milestone when they said, ‘for a moment we had millions of eyes on us. Yeah, 40 million of them.’ And we saw a playing card, the two of hearts; that indicates their order of finishing.”

Reddit users on a “Masked Singer” thread also chimed in, via comments such as “I just saw them in October. Yes, that is Ruben and Clay” and “This is exactly who I think this is. I was a huge Clay fan when he was on ‘Idol’ and Clay’s voice was on repeat throughout middle and high school, so I can recognize his voice in a second.”

Studdard and Aiken are staying mum for now on social media, of course, and viewers will have to wait until The Beets are unmasked for official confirmation of their identities. This wouldn’t be the first time a celebrity with Alabama ties has appeared on “The Masked Singer,” however.

Country star Sara Evans, a former Birmingham resident, competed on Season 9 as Mustang, covering “Here I Go Again” by Whitesnake. Also, Alabama’s Taylor Hicks, who won the “Idol” crown in 2006, popped up as a celebrity guest on a “Masked Singer” tour in 2022. Hicks was unmasked during a show at the Orpheum Theatre Memphis, after performing as the character of Boom Boom Box.