Rob Kinnan | USA TODAY Sports
No Consensus for UNC's Destination in Final Bowl Projections
After Saturday's conference championship games, there's little drama surrounding who will end up in the College Football Playoff, with Clemson, LSU and Ohio State holding steady and Oklahoma almost assuredly moving into the No. 4 spot vacated by Georgia.
Beyond that, it's anyone's guess as to where anyone ends up for bowl season, and it's no different for North Carolina, as the Tar Heels are set to return to the postseason for the first time since the 2016 trip to the Sun Bowl.
Per the ACC's bowl agreements and the league's final standings, both Virginia Tech and Wake Forest are guaranteed a spot in Tier I games, which include the Belk, Music City, Pinstripe and Sun bowls.
Beyond that, the remainder of the league's bowl-eligible teams are all available for the remaining selections.
Fortunately for the Tar Heels (6-6), they have several positives going their way in the selection process. Not only does Carolina have a hall of fame coach in Mack Brown, but the Tar Heels also have an exciting young quarterback in Sam Howell and a fanbase re-energized by a four-win improvement in 2019.
Those could be advantages over traditional powers like Florida State and Miami, whose fanbases aren't likely to be fired up about mid-tier bowl games after a disappointing season.
Bowl matchups will be announced on ESPN on Sunday afternoon during the network’s annual selection show, which kicks off at Noon with the four CFP teams.
The full rundown of games will begin around 3 p.m.
Here's where Carolina lands among bowl projections:
| Outlet | Bowl Game | Opponent |
|---|---|---|
CBS Sports | Military | Navy |
USA Today | Independence | Ohio |
Stadium | Military | Temple |
247 Sports | Military | Navy |
College Football News | Military | Navy |
Bleacher Report | Independence | Florida Atlantic |
Sporting News | Military | Temple |
ESPN - Kyle Bonagura | Sun | Arizona State |
ESPN - Mark Schlabach | Sun | Washington |
The Athletic | Military | Navy |
Banner Society | Sun | Arizona State |
N&O - Joe Giglio | Military |
The Tar Heels have lost their past three bowl games, last winning the 2013 Belk Bowl vs. Cincinnati.
Mack Brown, 13-8 overall in bowl games, will be coaching Carolina in the postseason for the first time since the 1996 Gator Bowl. He was 3-2 in bowl games during his first stint in Chapel Hill.
