Missouri vs. North Carolina
Dec. 26, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN2
At Shreveport, La.
Considering the tumultuous summer in Chapel Hill, Everett Withers did an admirable job piloting North Carolina to a 7-5 record. The Tar Heels played hard for Withers, and now it’s not easy to project how they’ll perform with Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora on his way to becoming their new boss.
The Tigers ended up at 7-5, as well. Although that’s not up to their recent standards, it should have been expected, considering their difficult schedule, particularly away from home.
If not for an unfortunate knee injury suffered by Missouri sophomore running back Henry Josey, this bowl would have featured two of the nation’s top young runners. As it stands now, UNC freshman sensation Giovani Bernard (1,222 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground) will take center stage.
But Bernard’s efforts won’t be enough to overcome a more cohesive Tiger bunch that will be eager to establish themselves in SEC country.
Opening point spread: Missouri by 3 1/2
The pick: Missouri 31-23
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