UNC Football: Disappointing Duke’s Mayo Bowl ends disappointing season

The UNC football program ends the 2021 season with a disappointing loss in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl despite entering the game as a double-digit favorite.

I’m just glad it’s all over. At least, until next year.

That’s how a lot of North Carolina fans feel following a season that had such high expectations but ended with a losing record and the likely departure of star quarterback Sam Howell.

There’s little more that can be said about this season other than it was a complete disappointment. Entering their first game as a road favorite and aspirations of competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff, the Tar Heels laid an egg against the Virginia Tech Hokies.

They won two straight games following their opener in Blacksburg but then traded wins and losses every week for the remainder of the season. That is, until their loss on Thursday to South Carolina that came on the heels of another disappointing defeat, the one against rival NC State in the regular season finale.

But back to the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, where they gave up a slew of yards in the first quarter and immediately trailed by a score of 18-0, the Tar Heels simply couldn’t stop the South Carolina Gamecocks. Never mind that they were playing a South Carolina squad that scored 25 points against a Power 5 team just once this season, and that was in a loss to SEC punching bag, Missouri.

Not only was the defense atrocious as they gave up massive gain after massive gain, but the offense also struggled to put scoring drives together, or to even pick up first downs. They converted just 1-of-10 third downs for the game and were outgained by 210 yards. The Tar Heels averaged just 4.4 yards per carry compared to the Gamecocks’ 5.9, and much of that was thanks to British Brooks’ 63-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

And finally, Sam Howell likely finishes his collegiate career throwing for 205 yards and a touchdown on a 12-for-20 passing day while running for his life like he did the majority of the season. Overall, and despite the lack of accomplishment of the UNC team he played on, Howell had a brilliant college career. He may not be completely refined or a slam dunk pro prospect, but he’ll almost definitely get taken somewhere in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Tar Heels are about to usher in the nation’s No. 8 recruiting class, so that’s definitely something to look forward to. They also return a pair of talented quarterbacks that will compete for a starting job, and rising running back British Brooks.

Thanks for following the UNC football program with us this season. We look forward to doing the same in 2022.