North Carolina Tar Heels: Ranking ALL the Bowl Games

Dec 5, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; The Alabama Crimson Tide mascot runs the flag during the first quarter of the 2015 SEC Championship Game against the Florida Gators at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

26. 1993 Gator Bowl

After consecutive 1-10 seasons in the late eighties, Coach Mack Brown’s recruiting finally broke through with a win in the Peach Bowl in January of 1993. The next year the team was offered a reminder that they had not reached the summit yet when they faced the Alabama Crimson Tide in Jacksonville, FL.

The matchup featured the Tide the year after a national title campaign and a ten win North Carolina squad who had only lost to Virginia and Florida State during the season. The Tar Heels were ranked number 12 at the time while the Crimson Tide were at number 18.

North Carolina seized a 7-3 lead behind future Green Bay Packer William Henderson. The Tar Heels even had the game even at ten apiece at halftime. The second half was all Tide as quarterback Brian Burgdorf threw two scores on his way to being the game’s MVP.

Later the NCAA would take away all the wins from Alabama’s 1993 season except the Gator Bowl as the result of Alabama player Antonio Langham hiring an agent while still a college player.

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