UNC football stays close to home, faces West Virginia in Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte
North Carolina has one more chance to get it right, win a football game and end 2023 with a ninth victory.
The Tar Heels learned their bowl destination Sunday and are headed to the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte to face West Virginia. The game is set for Wednesday, Dec. 27 at Bank of America Stadium, with a 5:30 p.m. start and to be televised by ESPN.
The Mountaineers finished 8-4 this season, going 6-3 in the Big 12 Conference. They won four of their last five games -- the loss at Oklahoma.
The Heels began the season in Bank of America Stadium, beating South Carolina 31-17 on Sept. 2 on their way to a 6-0 start. But they lost their last two games of the regular season, both on the road, and the 39-20 loss to N.C. State left a sour taste.
UNC finished 8-4 in the regular season and 4-4 in the ACC after dropping four of its last six games.
One big question for the Heels will be the availability of quarterback Drake Maye, who could decide to sit out the bowl and not risk an injury. Maye is expected by most observers to enter the 2024 NFL draft and could be the first quarterback taken.
Maye did leave a bowl option open after the loss at N.C. State, calling the ending to the once-promising season a “bummer” and saying he might like to take the field one more time with his teammates. Playing a bowl in Charlotte, Maye’s hometown, could also influence his decision.
Another possibility could be receiver Tez Walker passing up the bowl and later declaring for the NFL draft. But Walker also is a Charlotte native and was unable to play in the season-opener as the NCAA delayed in ruling on his eligibility appeal.
As with most programs, the Heels have had several players already announce they are entering the NCAA transfer portal.
West Virginia will bring a balanced offense to Charlotte, averaging 234 yards rushing and 204 passing in scoring 31.6 points a game. Among the WVU playmakers this season was former N.C. State receiver Devin Carter, who had 27 catches for 501 yards and two scores after transferring from NCSU.
Carter’s last game for the Wolfpack was against UNC to close out the 2022 regular season. He had six grabs for 130 yards and a TD in the Pack’s 30-27 double-overtime win at Kenan Stadium. The Clayton native did not play in the Pack’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl appearance, entering the portal.
UNC has lost its past three bowl games and six of its past seven, the victory coming over Temple in the 2019 Military Bowl. The Heels were in the Holiday Bowl last season, taking a 28-27 loss to Oregon.
The Heels and Mountaineers faced off in the 2008 bowl in Charlotte, then known as the Meineke Bowl, with West Virginia winning 31-30. Hakeen Nicks caught eight balls for 217 yards and three TDs for UNC.
This story was originally published December 3, 2023 at 6:05 PM.
