Tag: Fenway Bowl

UNC, ACC highlighted amongst USA TODAY Sports’ losers in bowl season

The ACC turned in a miserable showing during bowl season.

The North Carolina Tar Heels limped into bowl season during December, hoping to end a tumultuous campaign with one final win.

UNC faced UConn in the Fenway Bowl, which essentially proved to be a home game for the Huskies. Several key North Carolina players missed their postseason matchup due to opt-outs – and it showed on the field, with the Tar Heels losing 27-14 and never able to generate offense or get stops.

The ACC, as a whole, struggled as it tries to prove its worth as a Top-3 conference. Syracuse and Louisville were the only ACC programs to win a bowl game, while UNC, Cal, Pitt, Georgia Tech, Miami (FL), Boston College, NC State, Duke, SMU, Clemson and Virginia Tech all lost.

With the ACC’s lackluster showing in postseason football, it should come as no surprise it was named amongst USA TODAY Sports’ “losers” in bowl season.

“If under much less scrutiny than the SEC, this has been a nightmare run for the ACC, starting with both SMU and Clemson losing on the road in the opening round of the playoff,” USA TODAY Sports’ Paul Myerberg wrote. “Overall, the league went 2-11 in bowl play, with wins from Syracuse (Washington State in the Holiday Bowl) and Louisville (Washington in the Sun Bowl). In addition to N.C. State, the worst losses have come from Pittsburgh, which fell 48-46 in six overtimes to Toledo in the GameAbove Sports Bowl; Miami, which dropped a 42-41 decision to Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl; and North Carolina, which turned the page to the Bill Belichick era by losing 27-14 to Connecticut in the Fenway Bowl.”

The Tar Heels should give their conference something to be proud of in 2025, thanks to new head coach Bill Belichick, but the ACC is no longer the premier conference it once was.

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PHOTOS: Tar Heels end disappointing season with Fenway Bowl loss

Check out the photo recap of UNC’s final loss of the football season against UConn.

From the start of the Fenway Bowl in Boston, Massachusetts, it was UConn coming out hitting hard. North Carolina and interim head coach Freddie Kitchens looked shell-shocked.

Granted, UNC football was without several key starters from the season including Omarion Hampton and Jacolby Criswell for most of the game.

Chris Culliver returned a 95-yard kickoff for the first points for the Tar Heels after being down 10-0 in the first quarter. The Huskies piled the points on in the second quarter with two more touchdowns to go up 24-7 at halftime.

The third quarter saw just a field goal from UConn before John Copenhaver caught a touchdown from Caleb Hood in the fourth quarter for a 27-14 ending to a disappointing showing from North Carolina.

Here are the photos from the game depicting that outcome.

Fenway Bowl defeat a fitting exclamation point on UNC’s disappointing football season

A Fenway Bowl loss to UConn closed out UNC’s disappointing football season.

The North Carolina Tar Heels had a golden chance to finish their football season with some rare, positive momentum on Saturday afternoon against UConn in the Fenway Bowl.

Instead, UNC lost a disappointing – but unsurprising – 27-14 matchup against a Huskies (9-4) squad that hadn’t won a bowl game since 2009.

North Carolina (6-7) finished with a losing record for the second time in four seasons, a trend we so desperately hope ends under head coach Bill Belichick. Saturday was UNC’s fifth consecutive loss in a bowl game.

The Tar Heels played without several starters in Saturday’s Fenway Bowl. Omarion Hampton was expected out, as he declared for the NFL Draft weeks ago, but the recent opt-out of starting right guard Willie Lampkin was unexpected.

An already-thin UNC squad thinned even more early in the first half, with starting quarterback Jacolby Criswell leaving after getting hit on a scramble. Criswell was expected to play coming in, but his departure was the last thing North Carolina needed.

Just how much did the Tar Heels’ offense struggle on Saturday? They didn’t pick up a first down until late in the second quarter, when freshman quarterback Michael Merdinger – who’s in the transfer portal – completed a 23-yard pass to starting tight end John Copenhaver.

To make matters worse for UNC’s offense, it didn’t convert a SINGLE third down and went just 1-of-3 on fourth down tries. UConn, on the other hand, converted 8-of-16 third down attempts and its lone fourth down try.

North Carolina’s defense never seemed like it was able to get off the field. The Tar Heels struggled against the run once again, allowing five different Huskies to combine for 210 rushing yards.

With Belichick already in Chapel Hill, we’re hoping this recent chapter of mediocrity in UNC football finally came to an end today.

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College football fans didn’t love a foul pole obstructing the Fenway Bowl broadcast view

Not great, but maybe not surprising at the Fenway Bowl.

Saturday featured multiple college football games at Major League Baseball parks, including the Fenway Bowl between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the UConn Huskies at Fenway Park in Boston.

And while football games at baseball parks can be a cool novelty, sometimes there are unexpected obstacles. Literally.

MORE FENWAY BOWL: What’s at stake between UConn and North Carolina?

Fans watching the Tar Heels and Huskies face off in the Fenway Bowl on Saturday were treated to less than clear views with a foul pole — what looks like Pesky’s Pole — at the ballpark obstructing shots of the field.

Not great, not great.

And, as college football fans on social media noted, hasn’t been a problem for past Fenway Bowl broadcasts.

It’s unclear why exactly the foul pole is an issue this year and not in the past, but college football fans didn’t love it and had jokes about Fenway’s obstructions, of course.

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Will Bill Belichick be with the UNC football team at Fenway Bowl?

Bill Belichick recently announced his plans for Saturday’s Fenway Bowl.

After an up-and-down regular season in which the North Carolina Tar Heels finished 6-6, they are preparing to play one final football game on Saturday morning.

UNC will face UConn on Saturday, December 28 at 11 a.m. in the Fenway Bowl. North Carolina enters bowl season with losses in its past two contests, while the Huskies (8-4) beat UMass in their regular season finale on November 30.

Freddie Kitchens will coach the Tar Heels in their bowl game, then stay on staff in 2025, as UNC made a massive splash by hiring Bill Belichick to be its next head coach.

You might be wondering: is Belichick traveling to historic Fenway Park with his new players?

We learned Belichick’s answer on Friday, December 27, as ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Belichick is not expected to attend the Fenway Bowl.

North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham elaborated on Belichick’s decision to skip the bowl game, which is for good reason.

“He’s totally dialed into building the roster,” Cunningham said. “He didn’t want to go to practice or be a distraction to the kids or the coaches for the bowl game.”

We would all love to see Belichick in the city he called home for 2-plus decades, but as Cunningham pointed to, Belichick is busy building the Tar Heels’ 2025 roster. UNC already has several transfer portal commitments, interest from top prospects in the 2026 recruiting class and visits lined up.

Who knows: maybe Belichick will show in Boston? He wasn’t expected to be at the North Carolina-La Salle basketball game, but appeared unexpectedly, much to the delight of Tar Heel Nation.

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UNC starting offensive lineman makes last-minute decision to opt out of Fenway Bowl

North Carolina will be without a starting offensive lineman in Saturday’s Fenway Bowl.

Unless you’re playing in the College Football Playoff, bowl games can feel like glorified scrimmages.

The truth is, bowl games are more than that. Particularly for programs who barely reached the 6-win mark, like UNC, winning bowl games are high notes to finish on.

North Carolina will take on the UConn Huskies Saturday, December 28 in the Fenway Bowl from Boston, Mass. If the bowl name sounds familiar, it’s because the Tar Heels (6-6) will be playing on the field of historic Fenway Park.

Several UNC starters have already opted out, most notably running back Omarion Hampton, who recently declared for the NFL draft. We can add to the list of opt-outs – just hours before North Carolina takes the field.

On Friday, December 27, InsideCarolina’s Adam Smith reported that starting guard Willie Lampkin opted out of the Fenway Bowl.

Lampkin joins defensive lineman Jahvaree Ritzie, edge rusher Power Echols and starting safety Stick Lane as Fenway Bowl opt-outs.

Lampkin started eight games for the Tar Heels during the 2024 regular season, his final year of college eligibility. Lampkin’s best (and first) season in a UNC uniform came during 2023, when he started all 11 games and earned Third-Team All-ACC honors.

The decision for Lampkin to withdraw – less than 24 hours from kickoff – leaves North Carolina with a gaping hole on its offensive line. The Tar Heels’ official depth chart lists former 5-star recruit Zach Rice as Lampkin’s backup, giving Rice a golden opportunity to win the starting job for 2025.

Lampkin dealt with injuries previously this month, but he hasn’t declared for the NFL Draft yet.

Regardless of Lampkin’s decision to withdraw from the Fenway Bowl, UNC will miss him on Saturday.

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UNC football drops one spot in USA TODAY Sports re-rank after Conference Championship week

Not playing in Conference Championship week actually hurt the UNC football team.

Despite enduring another football season of mediocrity, the North Carolina Tar Heels will play in a bowl game for the sixth-consecutive year.

UNC will be shipping up to Boston on Saturday, December 28 for an 11 a.m. kickoff against UConn in the Fenway Bowl. North Carolina finished its regular season 6-6 (3-5), tied for third-to-last in the ACC, while the Huskies ended their regular season 8-4 as an independent.

Despite not playing during Conference Championship Weekend on Saturday, Dec. 7, the Tar Heels actually fell a spot – to 73rd – in the latest USA TODAY Sports re-rank.

UNC found itself sandwiched between East Carolina (72) and Virginia. ECU will join North Carolina in bowl season, with the Pirates playing NC State in the Military Bowl, while UVA misses a bowl game for the third-straight season.

The Tar Heels are currently trying to lock in Bill Belichick as head coach, but they’ll be playing in the Fenway Bowl under interim head coach Freddie Kitchens, who is the Tar Heels’ tight ends coach and run game coordinator.

UNC started its season with three straight wins, beating Minnesota, Charlotte and NC Central, but struggling for large parts of each. North Carolina’s struggles came to a boil shortly after, experiencing a 4-game losing streak that spanned from James Madison to Georgia Tech.

After their first bye week, the Tar Heels began a 3-game winning streak at Virginia. UNC traveled to Florida State to open November, entered another bye week, then clinched bowl eligibility against Wake Forest.

For a team with only six wins like North Carolina, winning a bowl game is the perfect cap on an otherwise-disappointing season.

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UNC football’s bowl destination, opponent announced

Which bowl game did UNC make? Who will the Tar Heels play?

The North Carolina Tar Heels have experienced quite the tumultuous football season, highlighted by the firing of former head coach Mack Brown.

UNC (6-6, 3-5 ACC) started its campaign 3-0, then lost four straight, including a 70-50 shocker against James Madison. North Carolina then rebounded to win three straight, capping its streak with a bowl-clinching victory against Wake Forest.

On Sunday, Dec. 8, the Tar Heels learned their bowl game – and opponent. UNC will ship up to Boston for an 11 a.m. kickoff on Saturday, Dec. 28 to face the UConn Huskies in the Fenway Bowl.

North Carolina and UConn will face off in the famed Fenway Park, home to the Boston Red Sox.

UConn (8-4), previously a member of the American Athletic Conference, now plays as an FBS independent.

North Carolina, which is playing in a bowl game for the sixth-consecutive season, will make its first appearance in the Fenway Bowl. Last year’s edition of the Fenway Bowl featured two fellow ACC schools: Boston College and SMU, the latter of whom is in the College Football Playoff.

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The Tar Heels will look to snap a 4-game losing streak in bowl games, while UConn is playing in a bowl game for the second time in three seasons. The Huskies’ bowl fortunates are even worse than UNC’s: UConn hasn’t won one since 2009, when it beat South Carolina in the PapaJohns.com bowl.

North Carolina will be playing postseason football under the guidance of tight ends coach/run game coordinator Freddie Kitchens, who was named the interim head coach less than a week about Brown’s firing.

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Boston College QB Thomas Castellanos scored 2 TDs in the Fenway Bowl and fans all made the same joke

The Eagles’ QB led plenty of deep drives on Thursday

Boston College had a tough task on Thursday when it entered a bowl matchup against No. 24 SMU.

For starters, the 11-win Mustangs boasted am offense that averaged the sixth-most points in the nation during the regular season and a defense that gave up the 12th fewest. But the Eagles had much more working in their favor: a homefield advantage playing at Fenway Park, continuous rain pouring down and, maybe most importantly a quarterback with the same last name as a famous slugger leading them on a baseball field.

Boston College’s Thomas Castellanos did everything in the Eagles’ 23-14 upset, passing for 102 yards, rushing for another 156 and scoring two touchdowns on the ground.

And it was that type of performance that led to baseball fans and college fans joining forces to make the most obvious — and necessary — joke possible.

SMU didn’t get the welcoming to the ACC they expected

The future members of the ACC received a rude welcoming on Thursday.

The 2023 college football season was the last for the SMU Mustangs as Group of Five members. Starting next season they will be playing in the ACC, much to the chagrin of the Florida State Seminoles.

One of those teams they would play against are the Boston College Eagles. As a matter of fact, the Ponies are set to host Boston College at Gerald J. Ford Stadium next season, the date is yet to be determined.

As far as this season, the Mustangs had an opportunity to prove their worth and earn the No. 12 win on the season. It looked good early on before it fell apart in the second half. Boston College ended up winning this future ACC battle, 23-14.

The big star of the day was Thomas Castellanos with his two touchdowns. Both of which came on the ground and in the fourth quarter. Overall, the dual-threat rushed for a game-high 156 yards and those two scoring runs of 14+ yards.

The SMU offense had no answer for Castellanos as they finished two drives with a punt, two drives ended via turnover on downs, and one missed field goal. Late in the game it was the Eagles offense that was able to put together consistent drives to put the game away.

Next time these two teams meet, perhaps it will go differently with Preston Stone under center. He missed the game after breaking his leg against Navy on Nov. 25 in the 59-14 win over the Midshipmen.