The Huskies are looking for their first bowl win since 2010.
KICKOFF: 11:00 a.m.
TV: ESPN
ANNOUNCERS: Chris Cotter (play-by-play), Mark Herzlich (color analyst), Coley Harvey (sideline)
RADIO: UConn IMG Radio Network; Varsity Network App; 97.9 Fox Sports, WGCH 1490 AM, WAVZ 1300 AM, WILI 1400 AM and 95.3 FM, WICH 1310 AM and 94.5 FM; XM 81 (National)
ANNOUNCERS: Mike Crispino (play-by-play), Wayne Norman (color analyst), Adam Giardino (sideline)
RECORDS: UConn (8-4), North Carolina (6-6, 3-5 ACC)
LAST WEEK: In their final regular season game, the Huskies held off a late charge from UMass in a 47-42 win; The Tar Heels fell to NC State, 35-30, in their senior day game to close out the regular season.
POINT SPREAD: UNC -2.5 (odds via FanDuel)
O/U: 53
SERIES HISTORY: The Huskies and Tar Heels have met three times on the gridiron with North Carolina holding a 3-0 advantage. They last met in 2009 when UNC squeaked out a 12-10 win at the Rent.
DEPTH CHART: UConn; North Carolina
PREGAME PRESS CONFERENCE(S): UConn head coach Jim Mora; North Carolina interim head coach Freddie Kitchens
WEATHER FORECAST: Boston, MA
Fun With Numbers
8: The last time UConn won eight games in a season was 2010 when they won the Big East Conference and went to a BCS bowl game.
39: North Carolina has 39 team sacks this season, which is the sixth-best in FBS.
7: The Huskies are 3-4 in seven bowl games and have lost three in a row.
6: This is the sixth straight year that the Tar Heels have been bowl-eligible.
37: UConn has scored on 37 of 40 trips to the red zone this year with 25 of those going for touchdowns.
32.3: Both North Carolina and the Huskies are averaging 32.3 points per game this season, tied for 34th nationally.
4: This is the fourth ACC opponent the Huskies have faced this year having gone 0-3 vs Duke, Wake Forest, and Syracuse. They are 7-28 against the ACC overall.
3: North Carolina has three interception returns for touchdowns this season, one short of the program record.
What to watch for
Who the heck shows up
Husky wide receiver Skyler Bell remains in the portal, though he still might play, and Joe Fagnano is expected to start at QB. The defense should be mostly intact, though there are a few transfers, headlined by DB Malcolm Bell, who is heading to Michigan State. Running back Durell Robinson is heading to Auburn, but that unit should be in good hands with Cam Edwards, Mel Brown, and Victor Rosa.
UConn is looking to end its season with a statement. Opt-outs appear to be at a minimum and this team should be motivated to reach nine wins against a vulnerable ACC opponent.
UNC fired its coach. And even though they backed up the money truck for Bill Belichick, the NFL legend will probably not have any impact on this game. The Tar Heels are currently led by interim HC Freddie Kitchens. who will be dealing with a solid handful of starters and key rotation guys sitting out, including multiple offensive linemen and two running backs. So this already shaky team will not be at its best as it travels north to close out a forgettable season at a baseball park in the blistering cold.
If UConn can start off strong it does not seem like this underachieving North Carolina team would have much fight in it. Head coach Jim Mora has made he and his teams’ motivations for this game clear — a ninth win would mean a lot for UConn football. They have every reason to act like it and look like the team with more to play for on Saturday.
Slowing Down the Heels
For UConn, a low-scoring game is probably part of the formula for victory; the Huskies don’t want to get into a shootout, especially if they’re missing one or maybe two of their big-play threats. They’ll look to run the clock, keep it ugly, and find a way to win at the end, as they have done many times this year. This could be a lot like the Wake Forest game this year, except UConn wins.
The Tar Heels will probably try to go after the Husky secondary. That defensive unit will be tested by QB Jacolby Criswell and his receivers, led by J.J. Jones (34 receptions, 570 yards, 6 TDs) and tight end John Copenhaver (36 rec., 270 yards, 3 TDs). UNC’s main offensive threat is running back Omarion Hmapton, who has posted over 2,000 yards from scrimmage with 373 receiving yards and 17 total touchdowns this season. Keeping those guys in check will be key.
Young guys stepping up
Bowl games have been known to see depth guys standing out. It’s always tantalizing to think that we have a chance to preview the starters or key rotation guys of next year who maybe didn’t get as much of a chance to play. The defensive front seven could be an interesting crew to watch for UConn to see who rotates in. That unit will be replacing a lot of dudes next year, so would make sense to get the new guys some live action given this opportunity.
Offensively, UConn may rotate some offensive linemen in to help them get reps and also to deal with injuries to current starters.