It’s the most wonderful time of the year- Bowl Season! Yeah yeah yeah I love Christmas as well. But as a lover of college football, I also love bowl season. And after a dramatic (to say the least) weekend in the sport, the matchups are set. The first bowl game will kick off December 16th and the season will come to an end on January 8th with the National Championship. Bowl games offer the team a trip, an extra month of practice, memories, and a chance to increase their win total. They are also fun for the fans. This fan loves when her team ends up in a desirable location. Nothing better than starting the New Year on a fun trip!

And that’s exactly what I’ll be doing this year. This year the state of NC is playing host to two bowl games and 3 college football teams from North Carolina will be participating in postseason matchups. This is fewer than other years with teams like Wake Forest, ECU, and Charlotte failing to qualify for postseason play. But not to be left out South Carolina is always getting in on the fun hosting a game and sending 2 teams bowling.

So which teams are headed where? And when can you catch a local bowl game? Don’t worry I’ve got all the info for you. Keep reading to see the bowl matchups in and involving North Carolina as well as South Carolina. With players entering the transfer portal and sitting out to avoid injury prior to the draft, some teams may look a little different in these games. But hopefully, there will be some competitive matchups and interesting games! You can view the full slate via ESPN here. Let the daily football commence!

  • Famous Toastery Bowl

    Charlotte is the temporary location and popular brunch spot Famous Toastery is the temporary name of the “Bahamas Bowl”. Imagine you get a bid to a bowl game that is supposed to be in the Bahamas and you end up in Charlotte. Bowl/Playoff season always has disappointments but that is certainly one I don’t envy. The game will be played on December 16th and features a matchup between Western Kentucky and Old Dominion at Jerry Richardson Stadium on the campus of UNC Charlotte. Kickoff is set for 2:30pm.

  • Birmingham Bowl

    After getting off to a very promising season the Duke Blue Devils are rewarded with…. a matchup in Birmingham, AL against a Sunbelt Conference opponent in Troy. If you’d told me that mid November I wouldn’t have believed you. But injuries to the QB position caused the Blue Devil’s offense to struggle,ย  and finish the season with a 7-5 overall and 4-4 conference record. The Birmingham Bowl kicks off Dec 23rd at noon on ABC.

  • Duke's Mayo Bowl

    The Duke’s Mayo Bowl played at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium will feature a matchup between UNC Chapel Hill and West Virginia. UNC kicked off the season in the Duke’s Mayo College Kickoff game in Charlotte and now ends it in the bowl game here as well after certainly higher expectations were had pre-season. This is UNC’s 2nd appearance in the bowl game in 3 years. They lost the 2021 edition of this game to South Carolina. Kickoff is set for 5:30pm on December 27th. Stay tuned for who participates in the celebratory mayo dump!

  • Pop Tarts Bowl

    In its first year under the name Pop Tarts Bowl this Orlando, FL bowl game will play host to NC State and Kansas State. While I’m sad my team (NC State) never got to play in what was formally the Cheezit Bowl (big Cheezit fan over here) I am thrilled at this location and opponent. I’ve already got my tickets and can’t wait to see Dave Doeren and company take a bite out of the first edible mascot. Though I am a little grossed out by this concept. The game kicks off on Dec 28th at 5:45 pm on ESPN. Someone pass me the Pop-Tarts and Go Pack!

  • South Carolina

    North Carolina isn’t the only Carolina with teams playing in and cities hosting bowl games. So of course we are going to tell you all about our neighbors to the south as well!

  • Myrtle Beach Bowl

    Conway South Carolina plays host to the Myrtle Beach Bowl, which kicks off bowl season on Dec. 16th. The game features a matchup between Ohio and Georgia Southern on ESPN at 11am.

  • Hawaii Bowl

    While a less-than-practical destination for fans, this may be the best team destination. An all-expense paid trip to Hawaii? Sounds like a win to me. And that’s what Coastal Carolina gets for Christmas along with a game against San Jose State. You can catch this game on Dec 23rd at 10:30 pm live from Honolulu.

  • Gator Bowl

    Clemson gets the trip to Jacksonville, FL, and a matchup against SEC’s Kentucky. This is Kentucky’s 2nd trip to the Gator Bowl since the 2020 season. It should be one of the better bowl matchups and I haven’t checked the Jaguars schedule but perhaps a good opportunity for Trevor Lawrence to cheer on his former team.

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