All Tar Heels

National Expert Drops UNC Football From NY6 Bowl Projections

Somehow, the 5-0 UNC football team is no longer in On3's latest forecast for the New Year's Six.

Matt Giles

UNC football head coach Mack Brown (Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports)
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Last week, when UNC football had a bye and moved up to No. 14 in the AP Top 25, On3's Andy Staples pegged the Tar Heels to end up in the Orange Bowl against Ohio State.

This week, Mack Brown's bunch rose to No. 12 following Saturday's electrifyingly dominant 40-7 home win over Syracuse, which had only one loss entering the game. Nevertheless, Staples removed UNC (5-0, 2-0 ACC) from his New Year's Six Bowl predictions (12 teams between the Rose, Sugar, Orange, Fiesta, Cotton, and Peach):

Make it make sense. It does not, except that No. 14 Louisville (Staples projects the Cardinals to the Peach Bowl), fresh off a 33-20 home victory over then-No. 10 Notre Dame, essentially replaced UNC as the ACC's only team outside of No. 4 Florida State (now projected to the Orange Bowl).

However, Staples still has the Tar Heels as the 11-seed in his "Week 7 Hypothetical College Football 12-Team Playoff." So, it's not as though he's completely disrespecting UNC:

And it's fair to point out that the Tar Heels, one of 14 undefeated squads in the country along with Florida State and Louisville, have not faced a ranked opponent.

That will change at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday (ABC) when UNC hosts No. 25 Miami in Kenan Memorial Stadium.

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However, No. 17 Duke, coming to Chapel Hill on Nov. 11, is the only other currently ranked squad on the schedule. In other words, the lack of a showcase win could continue to haunt UNC football's NY6 outlook.

Even so, all the Tar Heels can do is take care of their business, just as they've done impressively thus far in reaching 5-0 for the first time in over a quarter of a century, and the bowl business will take care of itself.

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Stay tuned to All Tar Heels on SI.com for more UNC football news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining UNC on SI in 2023, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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