While the College Football Playoff field was selected early this afternoon, we are left to wait for the rest of the bowl designations for the rest of college football. The games will trickle out as the day progresses, but as we sit here right now, here are the projections of where the Tar Heels are projected to go by the bowl projection experts.
David Keaton (Bleacher Report): Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. Kentucky
Erick Smith (USA Today Sports): Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. James Madison
Bryan Fischer (USA Today Sports): Sun Bowl vs. Oregon State
Bill Bender (Sporting News): Pop-Tarts Bowl vs. Oklahoma State
Steven Lassan (Athlon Sports): Sun Bowl vs. Oregon State
Mark Schlabach (ESPN): Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs. Kentucky
Kyle Bongaura (ESPN): Gator Bowl vs. Tennessee
Brett McMurphy (Action Network): Pinstripe Bowl vs. Rutgers
Most Attractive: The goal when picking a bowl game for a team as a fan should always be to get the most favorable matchup. In this case, the best matchup for the Tar Heels would be a depleted Oregon State in the Sun Bowl. The Beavers have lost head coach Jonathan Smith to Michigan State, quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei to the transfer portal and are dealing with an off the field issue with star running back Damien Martinez meaning they will enter whatever bowl game they land in shorthanded. This presents the Tar Heels with the best chance to win a bowl game this season.
Most Likely: With the Tar Heels now being in the third tier of bowl games, I would be shocked if they don’t try to keep Carolina close to home in Charlotte. It would only be fitting that this would be the spot that Drake Maye could finish his career, the same place where Sam Howell finished his.