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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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Sep 12, 2015; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; A North Carolina Tar Heels helmet during the second half of the game against the North Carolina A&T Aggies at Kenan Memorial Stadium. The Tar Heels defeated North Carolina A&T Aggies 53-14. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 12, 2015; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; A North Carolina Tar Heels helmet during the second half of the game against the North Carolina A&T Aggies at Kenan Memorial Stadium. The Tar Heels defeated North Carolina A&T Aggies 53-14. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /

11. 1998 Gator Bowl

1997 was the year that the Tar Heels went 11-1, only losing to Florida State. They were highly ranked (AP #7) at the end of the year. They were bypassed by the BCS at large bids and were due to return to Jacksonville for the second year in a row. Coach Mack Brown was hired away by Texas and defensive coordinator Carl Torbush was named the interim coach.

The Tar Heels were loaded on defense with players like defensive end Greg Ellis, linebacker Brian Simmons, cornerback Dre Bly, and defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday. They ranked number two in the country in defense that year.

The offense was also had its share of weapons. Quarterback Chris Keldorf could depend on senior receiver Octavus Barnes or younger targets like Na Brown. Johnathon Linton was the main runner. Jeff Saturday anchored the offensive line.

Virginia Tech had slipped a bit in 1997 to 7-4 after going 10-2 in the Big East the year before. The Gator Bowl opted to get them instead of West Virginia because the Tar Heels and Mountaineers had played in the game the year before. The Hokies were a conservative offense based on the rushing of Ken Oxendine. They were a few months away from the arrival of Michael Vick on campus and a year away from him playing.

The Tar Heel effort was a total one and the Heels scored in every phase of the game. Bly blocked a punt and the scored a touchdown there. A fumble by the Hokies in their own end zone was recovered by the Heel defense for another score. The score suddenly sat at 17-0 and the Heels had no offensive touchdowns yet.

Linton would change that to make the score 24-0 after a fake punt and the Hokies opted to change things up and brought in Nick Sorenson at quarterback. Sorenson got a big run from Oxendine but could do no better than field goal range. Fortunately the Hokies had future NFL kicker Shayne Graham on the roster and he scored their only points of the day.

The Heels would go on to a 42-3 victory by creating more turnovers and having Keldorf turn them into touchdowns. They set a record for points in a bowl game and margin of victory for the school. They handed Torbush the head coaching job. Torbush would ultimately be Carolina’s best bowl coach with a career 2-0 record in bowl games.

The only reason this bowl is not rated higher is because the outcome was never really in doubt, and the game lacked some excitement. There is no conversation however that does not put the 1997-98 Heels among the best teams in school history.

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