Nell Redmond - USA TODAY Sports
Possible Bowl Destinations Taking Shape for Tar Heels
As the college football season passes its midway point, the postseason is beginning to come into focus, and for the first time since 2016, North Carolina has hopes of playing in the postseason.
That's a fact that neither Mack Brown or the Tar Heels have shied away from, openly discussing the opportunities that lie ahead as Carolina (3-3, 2-1 ACC) heads to Virginia Tech (4-2, 1-2) on Saturday in control of its destiny in the Coastal Division.
The consensus among national college football media is that Carolina will indeed return to a bowl game this season, but opinions on exactly where vary widely, from one projection for the Orange Bowl to another of missing the postseason entirely.
Each of the five ACC opponents remaining on Carolina's schedule sits at 4-2 overall, with a combined conference record of 6-7.
The Tar Heels, who will play three of their remaining six games at Kenan Stadium, will also play host to FCS opponent Mercer on Nov. 23.
To reach the Orange Bowl, Carolina would have to win the ACC Championship game, or in the event that Clemson was chosen for the College Football Playoff, be the next best ACC team in the final CFP rankings.
Here's how the projections shake out:
| Media Outlet | Bowl Game | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
ESPN | Belk | Kentucky |
247 Sports | Belk | Kentucky |
Sports Illustrated | Sun | Washington |
CBS Sports | Sun | California |
Sporting News | Orange | LSU |
Stadium | Independence | Wyoming |
Athlon | Belk | Kentucky |
Banner Society | Belk | Kentucky |
College Football News | Sun | Arizona State |
Bleacher Report | Sun | California |
USA Today | None |
