UNC's Conner Harrell ready to take over at QB for Drake Maye vs West Virginia in Duke's Mayo Bowl
North Carolina quarterback Conner Harrell runs for a touchdown against Campbell in the second half of an NCAA college football game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. Harrell gets his first career college start at quarterback for North Carolina on Wednesday, Dec. 27, against West Virginia in the Duke's Mayo Bowl. Drake Maye, a likely top 10 NFL draft pick, has opted out of the game to prepare for the NFL. Credit: AP/Nell Redmond
Duke's Mayo Bowl: West Virginia (8-4) vs. North Carolina (8-4), Dec. 27, 5:30 p.m. Eastern (ESPN)
FanDuel Sportsbook College Line: West Virginia by 6 1/2.
Series record: Tied 1-1.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
A mayo bowl bath for the winning coach, among other things. The Duke's Mayo Bowl traditionally dumps mayo over the head of the winning coach after the game. The Tar Heels are without quarterback Drake Maye, a likely top-10 draft pick who has opted out of the bowl, so they will get a jump-start on preparing for next season. The Tar Heels have limped to the finish line with losses to Clemson and North Carolina State. The Mountaineers are looking to finish out a season strong after exceeding expectations. West Virginia beat Cincinnati and Baylor to close the regular season. The Mountaineers are just 3-8 in bowl games since 2010.
KEY MATCHUP
North Carolina quarterback Conner Harrell vs. West Virginia’s 69th ranked defense: Harrell gets his first career college start in place of the highly regarded Maye. He is faster than Maye, so expect to see more QB runs from the Tar Heels. But it will be tough for Harrell to match Maye’s accuracy and arm strength. Also, Harrell will be without the team’s primary wide receiver in Tez Walker, who amassed 41 catches for 699 yards and seven TDs after missing several games while being declared ineligible by the NCAA. Like Maye, Walker likely is headed to the NFL.
North Carolina quarterback Conner Harrell (15) breaks free for a touchdown run against Campbell duringg the second half of an NCAA college football game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023. North Carolina won 59-7. Harrell, who went 25-2 as a Thompson High School and was named the player of the year in Alabama as a senior, will be making his first career start against the Mountaineers (8-4). Credit: AP/Nell Redmond
PLAYERS TO WATCH
West Virginia: RB Jahiem White. The freshman standout will replace CJ Donaldson, who will miss the bowl game. White has shown a good burst, running for 792 yards on 97 carries this season, an impressive 8.2 yards per carry.
North Carolina: RM Omarion Hampton. With a new quarterback at the helm, look for the Tar Heels to lean heavily on Hampton on offense. He was fifth in the nation in rushing with 1,442 yards while averaging 6.2 yards per carry. He scored 15 touchdowns.
FACTS & FIGURES
West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene (6) leaps past Baylor safety Devyn Bobby (28) in the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, in Waco, Texas. West Virginia comes into the Duke's Mayo Bowl as the nation's fourth-best rushing team averaging 234.4 yard per game. Quarterback Greene is also a factor in the running game with 708 yards rushing and 13 TDs on the ground this season. Credit: AP/Jerry Larson
Both previous matchups between the two teams came in bowl games. North Carolina won the Gator Bowl 20-13 in 1997, while West Virginia won this same bowl in 2008 when it was called the Meineke Car Care Bowl. ... The Tar Heels will be without LB Cedric Gray, a key cog on defense and the team's leading tackler (121). He also had five sacks. ... Mountaineers C Zach Frazier will miss the game after needing surgery and DL Mike Lockhart and S Hershey McLaurin have entered the transfer portal. ... West Virginia QB Garrett Greene has played in 33 games, throwing for 2,842 yards with 20 touchdowns and seven INTs. He's more dangerous on the ground, where he has run for 1,321 yards and 22 touchdowns his career.
