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North Carolina Tar Heels: Looking Back at 33 Bowl Games

By John Woodcock

Dec 30, 2016; El Paso, TX, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Jordon Brown (2) scores a touchdown against the Stanford Cardinal defense at Sun Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 30, 2016; El Paso, TX, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels running back Jordon Brown (2) scores a touchdown against the Stanford Cardinal defense at Sun Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 14, 2015; Waco, TX, USA; A helmet sits on the field prior to the game between the Baylor Bears and the Oklahoma Sooners at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 14, 2015; Waco, TX, USA; A helmet sits on the field prior to the game between the Baylor Bears and the Oklahoma Sooners at McLane Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

15. 1949 Sugar Bowl

The third of the Carl Snavely bowl runs. This Tar Heel team was undefeated in the regular season with a 9-0-1 record and were ranked third in the country to go to New Orleans and face the Oklahoma Sooners in the Sugar Bowl.

The big player on the 1949 Sugar Bowl squad for the Tar Heels was Charlie Choo Choo Justice. Much of the reason that the Tar Heels played to such a low score in this game had to with the Oklahoma defense keying on Justice and preventing the running back from getting loose.

Meanwhile the Sooners kept the ball on the ground themselves and converted two scores behind quarterback Jack Mitchell to gain the 14-6 victory.

The Justice years would be looked back on in future years as the Golden Age of Carolina football. The team went to three big bowls under Coach Carl Snavely and won exactly none of them. However they were the Sugar and Cotton Bowls. The biggest bowl games that the Tar Heels would play afterward would be named Gator, Peach, or Sun.

Moving into the bowl victories on the list, it is important to note that victory margin will not be as important as the game being memorable. Some great Tar Heel performances may not have generated better games overall.

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