Will the UNC Football program make a bowl game this season? It’s still early but it’s looking promising for the Tar Heels
The North Carolina Tar Heels were able to get back on track with a big road win at Georgia Tech last week, ending a three-game slide.
With the win, UNC moved to 2-1 on the year in the Coastal Division and are just a half game back of Virginia. Before UNC begins a big stretch that should decide their fate this season, they are going into a bye week hoping to regroup.
UNC enters that bye week at 3-3 overall including wins over South Carolina and Miami. Their goal of not only winning the conference is still alive but also making a bowl game as well. With some winnable games left on the schedule, UNC needs to take advantage of it if they want to play in a bowl game for the first time since 2016.
Following Week 6, ESPN released their current bowl projections and the Tar Heels are back in the mix. Both Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach have the Tar Heels making a postseason bowl this year but they have a different game.
Bonagura has UNC taking on Mississippi State out of the SEC in Nashville as part of the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl. The last time the Tar Heels were in Nashville for a bowl game, they won a thriller against Tennessee as part of the Music City Bowl, 30-27.
As for Schlabach, he has the Tar Heels staying home but playing an SEC opponent as well matching them up with Kentucky in the Belk Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Tar Heels beat Cincinnati 39-17 in their last appearance in the Belk Bowl back in 2013.
UNC will need at least three more wins to reach a bowl game this season and does have Mercer on the schedule late in the year. I’d be surprised if UNC lost that game at home. Other than that, they have matchups against Virginia Tech, Duke, Virginia, NC State, and Pitt left in conference play.
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