Keeping It Heel
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UNC Football: Orange Bowl still in play for Tar Heels

By Zack Pearson

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 30: The Capital One Orange Bowl logo on the field at Hard Rock Stadium prior to the Orange Bowl game between the Florida Gators and the Virginia Cavaliers on December 30, 2019 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
MIAMI GARDENS, FL - DECEMBER 30: The Capital One Orange Bowl logo on the field at Hard Rock Stadium prior to the Orange Bowl game between the Florida Gators and the Virginia Cavaliers on December 30, 2019 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) /
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With one game left, the UNC Football program is still in play for an appearance in the Orange Bowl this season. They need to beat Miami however.

The UNC Football program enters Saturday’s game against Miami with a 7-3 record, fresh off a big win over Western Carolina in their home finale. As they prepare for the regular season finale, the Tar Heels have a New Year’s Six Bowl on their minds as they hope to be feeling Orange in about a week or so.

Despite having a 7-3 record with two bad losses at Florida State and Virginia, the Tar Heels still have a chance to play in the Orange Bowl this year. However, they are going to have to get past a good Miami team on Saturday to do so.

The Hurricanes enter this game with just one loss, that coming at the hands of Clemson, and likely stand in the way of the Tar Heels reaching that Orange Bowl. With Clemson and Notre Dame sitting inside the College Football Playoff Top 4 and the two meeting tin the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game, it sets up an interesting situation.

The winner of Saturday’s UNC-Miami game heads to Florida for the Orange Bowl.

Due to the bowl tie-ins, the Orange Bowl takes the next highest-ranked ACC team to match up with the SEC. If both Notre Dame and Clemson get into the playoff, that would leave either Miami or UNC.

However, even if UNC beats Miami it’s no guarantee. Going into Tuesday’s rankings, the Tar Heels are No. 17 while Miami is at No. 10. Both teams won this week, but it’s likely UNC moves up instead of Miami as no one in the Top 10 lost. A nice win at Miami should propel the Tar Heels past the Hurricanes landing them in the Orange Bowl.

At this stage, being in the Orange Bowl would be huge for this program. Going into the season there was a lot of hype surrounding the Tar Heels in Mack Brown’s second year. And while they won’t be competing for the ACC title game, the Orange Bowl would be a really good consolation prize and a good test for this program.

Next. UNC moves up in AP Top 25. dark

For more on UNC’s big game against Miami this weekend, make sure to check back with Keeping It Heel.

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