Duke's Mayo Bowl: North Carolina vs. South Carolina

Location: Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, N.C.)

Time: Dec. 30, 11:30 a.m. EST on ESPN

Teams: North Carolina (6–6) versus South Carolina (6–6)

Line: North Carolina -7.5

Summary

We've got a sweet, BBQ-flavored battle for which state is the better Carolina as North Carolina and South Carolina square off in Charlotte (which is, I've been told, located mostly in North Carolina).

While both teams come to the Queen City at 6-6, they differ dramatically in how they met expectations this season: South Carolina was led by rookie coach Shane Beamer and sophomore quarterback Luke Doty, taking a solid, yet unspectacular roster to bowl qualification in a tough-as-nails conference.

On the other hand, North Carolina had a meh-pretty-good season in terms of statistics, but blown leads and inconsistency plagued them throughout the entire year. The game could very well depend on the status of North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell and whether he chooses to play or not.

Our Pick

South Carolina at +7.5 is wayyyyy too many points against an inconsistent North Carolina team that just blew a late lead to NC State. Additionally, the potential for a slew of North Carolina players to opt out paves the way for a close, competitive showing from the Gamecocks.

The Score: North Carolina wins, but doesn't cover: 30-24