Russell Athletic Bowl Preview: North Carolina vs. Baylor
Tuesday, Dec. 29 at 5:30 p.m. ET
Orlando Citrus Bowl Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
The blueprint for up-tempo offense, Baylor, meets the new kids on the block, North Carolina. The Bears will try to salvage a disappointing year in which they were decimated by injuries, while the Tar Heels will look to prove their program is for real and that this year's results were no fluke.
After starting the season with eight straight wins and a solid shot to make the playoff after being snubbed last year, things went south fast for Baylor, as the Bears dropped three of their last four games.
For North Carolina, it's been anything but a disappointing year. The Tar Heels enjoyed one their most successful seasons in a long time, making it all the way to the ACC championship game and earning their most victories since also winning 11 games in 1997.
HOW THEY STACK UP:
Baylor
Record: 9-3
College Football Playoff Ranking: No. 17
Points per game: 48.0 (1st)
Points against per game: 27.5 (70th)
Total Offense: 604.6 yards per game (1st)
Passing Yards: 304.4 (20th)
Rushing Yards: 300.2 (4th)
Total Defense: 389.0 (58th)
Passing Yards Allowed: 232.7 (76th)
Rushing Yards Allowed: 156.3 (51st)
Turnover Differential: -1 (T-74th)
North Carolina
Record: 11-2
College Football Playoff Ranking: No. 10
Points per game: 40.9 (10th)
Points Against per game: 22.6 (33rd)
Total Offense: 486.9 yards per game (T-20th)
Passing Yards: 264.0 (34th)
Rushing Yards: 222.9 (21st)
Total Defense: 411.3 (78th)
Passing Yards Allowed: 194.5 (26th)
Rushing Yards Allowed: 216.8 (109th)
Turnover Differential: +8 (T-25th)
WHY BAYLOR COULD WIN: If you give head coach Art Briles three weeks to prepare, you know he's going draw up a great offensive game plan. It will be difficult for the Tar Heels to slow down the Bears considering in North Carolina's toughest test to date against Clemson, it allowed the Tigers' to rack up 608 yards of total offense and 45 points. Hard to imagine star receiver Corey Coleman being shutout of the end zone for a fifth straight game after he hauled in 20 touchdowns this season, though a lot of that will depend on the play of the Bears quarterback, a position that has been destroyed by injuries this season.
WHY NORTH CAROLINA COULD WIN: If there's one team that can hang with Baylor offensively, it's North Carolina. Quarterback Marquise Williams can beat any team with his arm or his legs, tossing 21 TDs while rushing for 11 this year. Defensively there's cornerback M.J. Stewart, who has four interceptions, 53 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble this season while Donnie Miles and Shakeel Rashad each topped the 100-tackle mark. Expect the Tar Heels to make life for Bears third-string quarterback Chris Johnson difficult.
IMPACT PLAYER TO WATCH: ELIJAH HOOD, RB, NORTH CAROLINA
All Elijah Hood has done this year is go about his business under the radar. With all the talk about Leonard Fournette, Derrick Henry, and Christian McCaffrey this season, Hood quietly put together a sensational campaign, rushing for 1,345 yards, 6.5 yards per carry, and scoring 17 touchdowns. With Baylor looking to shut down Williams at quarterback, Hood will be relied upon to help lead the Tar Heels offensively.