GCF South Carolina vs. North Carolina Mayo Bowl Game Preview, Prediction & Discussion Thread
Dec. 17, 2021
Who: South Carolina Gamecocks (6-6, 3-5 SEC) vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (6-6, 3-5 ACC)
When: 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 30 TV: ESPN
THE GAMECOCKS
South Carolina finished the season ranked No. 116 in total offense, No. 96 in passing offense and No. 104 in rushing offense out of 130 FBS teams. The Gamecocks were forced to play three different quarterbacks due to Luke Doty’s preseason foot injury that was reaggravated, requiring surgery in mid-October. The subsequent back-and-forth between Game 1 starter Zeb Noland and current starter Jason Brown resulted in Brown initially a third-string quarterback and transfer from FCS St. Francis taking the reins to close the season.
South Carolina ended 2021 with a 30-0 shutout loss at home against Clemson behind the season’s second-worst offensive performance (206 total yards) and will look to avoid finishing Beamer’s first season with a losing record.
But now will have to do it with out QB Jason Brown who has entered the portal and leading rushing RB ZaQuandre White leaving early to get ready for the NFL draft, that is two key players on offense and a major blow on defense with DE Kingsley Enagbare also heading to the NFL. So Gamecocks will be short-handed with the loss of those three key players.
THE TAR HEELS
Imagine being told months ago that the North Carolina Tar Heels wouldn’t have a Heisman Trophy-caliber quarterback and wouldn’t be playing in a New Year’s Six Bowl. Only to be relegated by playing in some bowl game sponsored by Duke’s Mayo against the South Carolina Gamecocks because we can’t get enough of UNC-USC storylines going forward.
But that’s where the Tar Heels are to this point. UNC should be playing in a more high-profile game, but at least the Heels will be playing in their home state and have the unbridled home-field advantage. That’s one advantage for the Heels. The other is the quarterback. Even though Sam Howell came crashing down this season and didn’t reach that Heisman level this year, he’s still the best option to propel the UNC offense in this bowl game. Howell is 149 yards away from a 3,000-yard season to go with 23 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
But if his production dipped, it didn’t hinder the value of his top target, Josh Downs. He’s two receptions from 100 and somehow wasn’t a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s top receiver. Downs is also 27 yards from 1,300 and it wouldn’t come as a shock to see him crack double-digit touchdowns, either. The sophomore could very well be a top receiver taken in the NFL Draft, but while one of the top receivers in the ACC (behind Pitt’s Jordan Addison) could go pro, he very well could end up like Addison next year in being the best receiver in the country.
And we didn’t even get to talking about running back Ty Chandler, a 1,000-yard ball carrier that has been a thorn in some defenses this season. This is a man that ran for 213 yards and four touchdowns in the upset win over Wake Forest on Nov. 16. The talent discrepancy is there in this matchup.
TAR HEEL PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB Sam Howell: UNC junior quarterback Sam Howell has sent mixed messages on whether he’d declare for the 2022 NFL Draft, though he walked for the Tar Heels’ senior day and Brown has repeatedly said Howell will leave for the NFL after this season. Reports on Dec. 6 said Howell will play in UNC’s bowl game.
WR Josh Downs: The top choice at wideout for program record-setting quarterback Sam Howell, Downs set UNC records himself with a school-high 98 receptions for 1,273 yards in his sophomore year. He tallied five games with at least 100 yards receiving this season, highlighted by a 203-yard, two-touchdown performance in the Tar Heels’ 59-39 victory over Virginia on Sept. 18.
DL Myles Murphy: The 6-foot-4, 305-pound defensive lineman and former Gamecock recruiting target earned All-ACC second team designation behind a sophomore season where he came down with 32 tackles (8.5 for loss), four sacks and three pass break-ups.
GAME PREDICTION
The Gamecocks don’t have much going for them. They’ve gone through four quarterbacks and haven’t found any success. Jason Brown gave the team lift just enough to go 6-6 but the multi-quarterback has moved on per the portal, leaving just Zeb to be the lone QB with any experience behind center. Also RB ZaQuandre White is one of the explosive playmaker in the backfield will not suit up to play as he has bigger plans getting ready for the NFL draft. The final nail in the coffin is that no one really made any sense of the South Carolina play calling in 2021.
This has all the makings of an easy cover for North Carolina. Even though South Carolina allows under 180 yards through the air per game, the Gamecocks can be gashed for 180 on the ground. Howell’s dual-threat ability will break this game open. North Carolina by 20
South Carolina 10
Noth Carolina 34
Dec. 17, 2021
Who: South Carolina Gamecocks (6-6, 3-5 SEC) vs. North Carolina Tar Heels (6-6, 3-5 ACC)
When: 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 30 TV: ESPN
THE GAMECOCKS
South Carolina finished the season ranked No. 116 in total offense, No. 96 in passing offense and No. 104 in rushing offense out of 130 FBS teams. The Gamecocks were forced to play three different quarterbacks due to Luke Doty’s preseason foot injury that was reaggravated, requiring surgery in mid-October. The subsequent back-and-forth between Game 1 starter Zeb Noland and current starter Jason Brown resulted in Brown initially a third-string quarterback and transfer from FCS St. Francis taking the reins to close the season.
South Carolina ended 2021 with a 30-0 shutout loss at home against Clemson behind the season’s second-worst offensive performance (206 total yards) and will look to avoid finishing Beamer’s first season with a losing record.
But now will have to do it with out QB Jason Brown who has entered the portal and leading rushing RB ZaQuandre White leaving early to get ready for the NFL draft, that is two key players on offense and a major blow on defense with DE Kingsley Enagbare also heading to the NFL. So Gamecocks will be short-handed with the loss of those three key players.
THE TAR HEELS
Imagine being told months ago that the North Carolina Tar Heels wouldn’t have a Heisman Trophy-caliber quarterback and wouldn’t be playing in a New Year’s Six Bowl. Only to be relegated by playing in some bowl game sponsored by Duke’s Mayo against the South Carolina Gamecocks because we can’t get enough of UNC-USC storylines going forward.
But that’s where the Tar Heels are to this point. UNC should be playing in a more high-profile game, but at least the Heels will be playing in their home state and have the unbridled home-field advantage. That’s one advantage for the Heels. The other is the quarterback. Even though Sam Howell came crashing down this season and didn’t reach that Heisman level this year, he’s still the best option to propel the UNC offense in this bowl game. Howell is 149 yards away from a 3,000-yard season to go with 23 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
But if his production dipped, it didn’t hinder the value of his top target, Josh Downs. He’s two receptions from 100 and somehow wasn’t a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award for the nation’s top receiver. Downs is also 27 yards from 1,300 and it wouldn’t come as a shock to see him crack double-digit touchdowns, either. The sophomore could very well be a top receiver taken in the NFL Draft, but while one of the top receivers in the ACC (behind Pitt’s Jordan Addison) could go pro, he very well could end up like Addison next year in being the best receiver in the country.
And we didn’t even get to talking about running back Ty Chandler, a 1,000-yard ball carrier that has been a thorn in some defenses this season. This is a man that ran for 213 yards and four touchdowns in the upset win over Wake Forest on Nov. 16. The talent discrepancy is there in this matchup.
TAR HEEL PLAYERS TO WATCH
QB Sam Howell: UNC junior quarterback Sam Howell has sent mixed messages on whether he’d declare for the 2022 NFL Draft, though he walked for the Tar Heels’ senior day and Brown has repeatedly said Howell will leave for the NFL after this season. Reports on Dec. 6 said Howell will play in UNC’s bowl game.
WR Josh Downs: The top choice at wideout for program record-setting quarterback Sam Howell, Downs set UNC records himself with a school-high 98 receptions for 1,273 yards in his sophomore year. He tallied five games with at least 100 yards receiving this season, highlighted by a 203-yard, two-touchdown performance in the Tar Heels’ 59-39 victory over Virginia on Sept. 18.
DL Myles Murphy: The 6-foot-4, 305-pound defensive lineman and former Gamecock recruiting target earned All-ACC second team designation behind a sophomore season where he came down with 32 tackles (8.5 for loss), four sacks and three pass break-ups.
GAME PREDICTION
The Gamecocks don’t have much going for them. They’ve gone through four quarterbacks and haven’t found any success. Jason Brown gave the team lift just enough to go 6-6 but the multi-quarterback has moved on per the portal, leaving just Zeb to be the lone QB with any experience behind center. Also RB ZaQuandre White is one of the explosive playmaker in the backfield will not suit up to play as he has bigger plans getting ready for the NFL draft. The final nail in the coffin is that no one really made any sense of the South Carolina play calling in 2021.
This has all the makings of an easy cover for North Carolina. Even though South Carolina allows under 180 yards through the air per game, the Gamecocks can be gashed for 180 on the ground. Howell’s dual-threat ability will break this game open. North Carolina by 20
South Carolina 10
Noth Carolina 34
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