How it all worked out
5 months 4 days ago - 5 months 4 days ago #431
by wvu4u2
How it all worked out was created by wvu4u2
Bowl shuffle ends with West Virginia playing North Carolina in Charlotte
by Bob Hertzel
For the Exponent Telegram
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WV News) -- This bowl matchup thing wasn't supposed to be this complicated, but the West Virginia Mountaineers' return to bowl play just wasn't as simple as it's supposed to be.
It took all afternoon and into Sunday evening before the announcement could be made that had WVU and its 8-4 Mountaineers heading to Charlotte, a site they are quite familiar with and where they have a big alumni presence, to play in the Duke's Mayo Bowl, against the Atlantic Coast Conference's North Carolina.
Yes, that's right, once again something under the NCAA umbrella seems kind of shady, as it turns into what is a Tar Heel home game disguised as a bowl.
The holdup in finalizing the deal started with the ACC being in turmoil after their undefeated, conference champion Florida State was odd-man out in the CFB playoffs.
Stunned and infuriated that the fourth bid after Michigan, Washington and Texas clinched their spots, FSU's and the ACC's world turned into turmoil when Alabama beat Georgia in the SEC championship game. That knocked the defending national champions out of the playoff picture and it came down to picking between Alabama and FSU.
The SEC brand won out and all of a sudden whatever agreements the ACC had with bowl games were scrambled and, as you know, stuff runs downhill.
The situation was complicated further by the Big 12 qualifying more bowl teams than it had bowl agreements and the SEC having fewer. The Mountaineers wound up in a bowl spot that is designated for the SEC but could not fill.
The Mountaineers have a history with this bowl, going back to its inception under the name of the Continental Tire Bowl. They were there for the first edition of the bowl in 2002, facing Virginia, a game far more famous for the halftime than the game that Virginia won, 48-22.
It was there that the Cavaliers pep band put on a show depicting the Mountaineers as, well, hillbillies. Let's just say they didn't appreciate it, West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise demanding an apology. The Virginia administration punished the pep band.
But enough politics, there's a football game to be played.
North Carolina and WVU have been teams heading in opposite directions. The Tar Heels, coached by former Texas coach Mack Brown, started the season with six straight victories but closed the year going 2-4 to finish at 8-4, the same record WVU brings into the game.
Conversely, the Mountaineers got to 8-4 by winning four of the last five games as it discovered its offense and rode the play of quarterback Garrett Greene and running back Jaheim White taking what has started the year as a ball-control offense into a fast strike attack.
It's not known if quarterback Drake Maye, who put himself in a strong NFL position by passing for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for 449 yards and nine TDs, will play or bypass the game.
The Tar Heel ground game, like WVU's, is built around a young player, sophomore Omarion Hampton, who rushed for 1,442 yards and 15 touchdowns.
He's four rushing touchdowns away from tying Don McCauley and Javonte Williams' program record 19 scores and needs 21 rushing yards to tie Elijah Hood for second place on the all-time single-season record and 278 yards to tie the All-time record set by McCauley.
"We are excited to share the selection of West Virginia and North Carolina for this year's Duke's Mayo Bowl," said Danny Morrison, executive director of the Charlotte Sports Foundation, "These two teams have amazing fan bases, and we are confident this matchup will provide a compelling game and memorable experiences for fans and players alike."
see more at WVNNEWS.com
by Bob Hertzel
For the Exponent Telegram
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WV News) -- This bowl matchup thing wasn't supposed to be this complicated, but the West Virginia Mountaineers' return to bowl play just wasn't as simple as it's supposed to be.
It took all afternoon and into Sunday evening before the announcement could be made that had WVU and its 8-4 Mountaineers heading to Charlotte, a site they are quite familiar with and where they have a big alumni presence, to play in the Duke's Mayo Bowl, against the Atlantic Coast Conference's North Carolina.
Yes, that's right, once again something under the NCAA umbrella seems kind of shady, as it turns into what is a Tar Heel home game disguised as a bowl.
The holdup in finalizing the deal started with the ACC being in turmoil after their undefeated, conference champion Florida State was odd-man out in the CFB playoffs.
Stunned and infuriated that the fourth bid after Michigan, Washington and Texas clinched their spots, FSU's and the ACC's world turned into turmoil when Alabama beat Georgia in the SEC championship game. That knocked the defending national champions out of the playoff picture and it came down to picking between Alabama and FSU.
The SEC brand won out and all of a sudden whatever agreements the ACC had with bowl games were scrambled and, as you know, stuff runs downhill.
The situation was complicated further by the Big 12 qualifying more bowl teams than it had bowl agreements and the SEC having fewer. The Mountaineers wound up in a bowl spot that is designated for the SEC but could not fill.
The Mountaineers have a history with this bowl, going back to its inception under the name of the Continental Tire Bowl. They were there for the first edition of the bowl in 2002, facing Virginia, a game far more famous for the halftime than the game that Virginia won, 48-22.
It was there that the Cavaliers pep band put on a show depicting the Mountaineers as, well, hillbillies. Let's just say they didn't appreciate it, West Virginia Gov. Bob Wise demanding an apology. The Virginia administration punished the pep band.
But enough politics, there's a football game to be played.
North Carolina and WVU have been teams heading in opposite directions. The Tar Heels, coached by former Texas coach Mack Brown, started the season with six straight victories but closed the year going 2-4 to finish at 8-4, the same record WVU brings into the game.
Conversely, the Mountaineers got to 8-4 by winning four of the last five games as it discovered its offense and rode the play of quarterback Garrett Greene and running back Jaheim White taking what has started the year as a ball-control offense into a fast strike attack.
It's not known if quarterback Drake Maye, who put himself in a strong NFL position by passing for 3,608 yards and 24 touchdowns while rushing for 449 yards and nine TDs, will play or bypass the game.
The Tar Heel ground game, like WVU's, is built around a young player, sophomore Omarion Hampton, who rushed for 1,442 yards and 15 touchdowns.
He's four rushing touchdowns away from tying Don McCauley and Javonte Williams' program record 19 scores and needs 21 rushing yards to tie Elijah Hood for second place on the all-time single-season record and 278 yards to tie the All-time record set by McCauley.
"We are excited to share the selection of West Virginia and North Carolina for this year's Duke's Mayo Bowl," said Danny Morrison, executive director of the Charlotte Sports Foundation, "These two teams have amazing fan bases, and we are confident this matchup will provide a compelling game and memorable experiences for fans and players alike."
see more at WVNNEWS.com
Last edit: 5 months 4 days ago by wvu4u2.
The following user(s) said Thank You: C. Austin Cox
Please Log in to join the conversation.