Why Tennessee football should want to face North Carolina in Gator Bowl
If the Gator Bowl is to be Tennessee football's postseason path, then let the opponent be North Carolina.
The Vols (8-4) will learn their bowl destination on Sunday. Most of the prominent projections have identified Tennessee as being earmarked for the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, against either UNC (8-4) or North Carolina State (9-3).
Tennessee last played in the Gator Bowl to culminate the 2019 season, rallying to beat Indiana to culminate Jeremy Pruitt's second year on the job.
On this edition of "The Volunteer State," Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network and the News Sentinel's Adam Sparks and John Adams examine the Vols' postseason path and why UNC would be a more desirable opponent for Tennessee.
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In truth, the outcome of this game doesn't matter much for the direction of the program under Josh Heupel. What happens in the December signing period, plus the transfer window, is much more influential.
ADAMS: No surprise, most readers wanted to see more of Nico Iamaleava. Maybe, in bowl game?
TOPPMEYER: Texas A&M Aggies hire Mike Elko. Pfffft.
TENNESSEE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE: Vols get 2024 dates for Oklahoma, Alabama, Florida games
Nevertheless, a bowl game outcome will shape perception of the season. If Tennessee finishes 9-4, that would match the Vols' best record achieved by any coach between Phillip Fulmer and Heupel. Butch Jones posted two 9-4 seasons.
An 8-5 campaign probably would knock Tennessee out of the Top 25 and be viewed as more of a clear step backward from 2022.
We expect Joe Milton to play in the bowl game, meaning Nico mania must wait until 2024.
In the meantime, beat UNC.
Here's the argument for playing UNC rather than NC State.
UNC football is more beatable
We know this, because the Wolfpack just beat the Tar Heels, 39-20, in the regular-season finale.
Will Drake Maye opt out?
If UNC's Drake Maye plays in the bowl, Vols fans would be treated to seeing a quarterback who's projected to be a top-five NFL Draft pick. And if he opts out, then the Tar Heels become that much more beatable. A win-win.
The Tar Heels are a brand
Beating Clemson in the Orange Bowl to finish last season helped perception of the Vols' season. Never mind that 2022 Clemson wasn't one of Dabo Swinney's best teams. Beating Clemson kept the buzz for UT going throughout the offseason. UNC football is hardly Clemson, but Mack Brown's program is still a notable brand.
Vols don't want reminders of 2017 coaching search
Tennessee fans probably are just about sick of hearing reminders of UT's 2017 wayward coaching search that ended with the hiring of Pruitt, but those old memories will be dredged up if the Vols face NC State. Dave Doeren became one of the final candidates John Currie considered before Tennessee fired Currie. Doeren's agent was waiting to hear from Currie while Currie flew across the country for a clandestine meeting with Mike Leach. Doeren has been good for NC State. His teams have won 34 games the past four seasons. No one wants to lose to the coach it passed on hiring.
Tennessee will play NC State in 2024
The Vols will play NC State in Week 2 next season. Sure, both rosters will feature turnover between now and then, but a bowl game with the Wolfpack would feel like something of a watered-down prequel to next year's game.
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Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's SEC Columnist. John Adams is the News Sentinel's senior columnist. Adam Sparks covers the Vols. You can subscribe to read all their coverage, or check out the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox. They also host the lightly acclaimed "SEC Football Unfiltered" podcast.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Why Tennessee football should want to face North Carolina in Gator Bowl
