Texas A&M vs North Carolina: Capital One Orange Bowl prediction and game preview.
Texas A&M vs North Carolina: Capital One Orange Bowl Broadcast
Date: Saturday, January 2
Game Time: 8:00 pm ET
Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Network: ESPN
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Texas A&M (8-1) vs North Carolina (8-3) Game Preview
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Three Reasons Why You Should Watch The Capital One Orange Bowl
– If you like your bowl games with massive contrasts in styles, this is about as big as it gets. North Carolina does a good job of controlling the clock, but it likes to hit the home run, relies on the big plays to overcome too many sleepy lulls during games – at least a few key ones this year – and it’s going to keep on coming with a quick pace that can strike quickly.
However, the offense is missing star RB Javonte Williams and top WR Dyami Brown – they’re both out getting ready for the NFL – and it’s going to need to get used to the tempo slowing down to an almost dead stop.
– Texas A&M doesn’t do anything all that fast, but it’s going to come into this was a major attitude after being passed over by the College Football Playoff committee for the fourth spot in the mini-tournament. It plays a deliberate style that dominates the clock, grinds out drives, and makes opposing teams press when they finally get the ball.
It’s a veteran team with a great back in Isaiah Spiller, a veteran QB in Kellen Mond, and a defense that led the SEC in yards allowed and was third in the nation against the run. North Carolina was fourth in the country in yards per carry.
– How many other bowl games feature a matchup of national championship-winning head coaches? None, unless it’s Clemson vs. Alabama for the national title.
UNC’s Mack Brown is fantastic in bowls going 10-2 since 2000, and one of those losses was to Alabama for the 2009 national title. However, the Tar Heels have only won three of their last ten bowl games going back to 2001.
On the other side, A&M has won its last two bowls under Jimbo Fisher – and six of its last nine – who’s 6-2 all-time in bowls with one of those losses coming in the 2014 College Football Playoff.
Why Texas A&M the Orange Bowl
Why North Carolina Will Win the Orange Bowl
What’s Going to Happen, Prediction, History
NEXT: Why Texas A&M Will Win, Why North Carolina Will Win, Texas A&M vs North Carolina Prediction
Why Texas A&M Will Win The Capital One Orange Bowl
– Again, North Carolina is missing its main guys. QB Sam Howell is still around, but the 1-2 rushing punch of Michael Carter and Javonte Williams – who combined for close to 2,400 yards and 28 touchdowns – are off getting ready for the NFL.
Also gone is leading receiver Dyami Brown, but the receiving corps should be better off than the running game. The Tar Heels still have parts, but ask Florida what life is like in a bowl when the star quarterback doesn’t have his main men to work with. It really doesn’t help that …
– The Texas A&M run defense is fantastic. It allowed 22 yards on the ground to Arkansas, just under 200 to Auburn, that that’s it. The Aggies finished third in the nation against the run, the D is outstanding on third downs, and it can generate enough pressure to get to Howell and make him have to rush just enough to be a concern. In an SEC that became offense-happy in a real hurry, A&M had the league’s No. 1 D, helped a whole lot by …
– Tempo. Wisconsin, the military academies, Northwestern, and Texas A&M. Those are the teams that do the best job of making you play down to their pace and their speed. It’s not that A&M goes all that slow, but Jimbo Fisher has built up the lines, and now he’s got the guys in the trenches who can take over the game.
Throw in the veteran quarterback in Kellen Mond, the lack of turnovers – Texas A&M was No. 1 in the SEC in fewest turnovers lost, and North Carolina just doesn’t take the ball away – and this is the right team with the right style to deal with the Aggies.
NEXT: Why North Carolina Will Win The Capital One Orange Bowl
Why North Carolina Will Win The Capital One Orange Bowl
– Sam Howell really is that good. The running game has made the North Carolina offense go, but Howell is getting better and better as his true sophomore season goes on. He might not have Dyami Brown to throw to, but Dazz Newsome and the rest of the receiving corps are strong, and Howell is accurate while also leading the way for the ACC’s best passing game in yards per completion.
He’s hitting 69% of his throws, he hasn’t thrown an interception in the last three games and has just two in the last seven, and he’s able to get the ball to places where his receivers can do something with it.
Mac Jones, Kyle Trask, and the better passing games worked against the Aggies, and Howell should be good for at least 250 yards.
– The North Carolina defensive front can hold up better than it’ll get credit for. This is hardly a rock of a run D, but it’s not going to get hammered on too hard. It’ll give up yards, but it’ll be strong enough on third downs to keep A&M from going on too many long, tough drives.
Notre Dame was able to run well against the Tar Heels, and they gave up over 200 rushing yards three times – losing two of the games – but this is an active bunch that averages three sacks per outing and will keep on coming.
– Yeah, North Carolina likes to operate with a quick pace, but it’s also strong at controlling the clock. Texas A&M has to play things at its level and keep its offense on the field – it’s third in the nation averaging over 35 minutes of possession time per game – but the Tar Heels are amazing on third downs and keep the ball for over 31 minutes per game.
If North Carolina wins the time of possession battle, it’s doing something really, really right.
NEXT: What’s Going To Happen, Texas A&M vs North Carolina Prediction, Orange Bowl History
What’s Going To Happen In The Capital One Orange Bowl
Without the main running backs, can North Carolina really do anything against this Texas A&M defensive front?
Yeah, the Tar Heels aren’t going to be the same without their star running backs Michael Carter and Javonte Williams, but the system is fantastic, the recruiting has been great, and this is the time for a young guy to rise up and produce, and …
Nah.
Texas A&M didn’t get a shot in the SEC Championship and hasn’t played for a few weeks. This is going to be a team ready to show the world that it not only got hosed in the College Football Playoff rankings, but that it’s going to be a massive factor going into next season, too.
It all starts here, but North Carolina won’t be any sort of a pushover.
North Carolina gave Notre Dame a hard time this year and pushed Clemson to the brink last season, and lost both games. This is one of those teams that plays up or down to the competition, and it’ll play way up by coming up with a few early scores to stun the Aggies.
A&M’s style will take over, the defense will settle in, and by the middle of the second half the lack of the skill stars will be a problem for the Tar Heels.
Like all Texas A&M games, it’s not going to be the sexiest of wins, but it’ll be effective.
Capital One Orange Bowl: Texas A&M vs North Carolina Prediction, Line
Texas A&M 34, North Carolina 20
Bet on Texas A&M vs North Carolina with BetMGM
Texas A&M -7.5, o/u: 65.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 4
– CFN Experts Picks: Capital One Orange Bowl
Must See Rating:
5: New Year’s Day on the couch
1: New Year’s Eve going out
Orange Bowl History
Dec. 30, 2019 Florida 36, Virginia 28
Dec. 29, 2018 CFP: Alabama 45, Oklahoma 34
Dec. 30, 2017 Wisconsin 34, Miami 24
Dec. 30, 2016 Florida State 33, Michigan 32
Dec. 31, 2015 CFP: Clemson 37 Oklahoma 17
Dec. 31, 2014 Georgia Tech 49 Mississippi State 34
Jan. 3, 2014 Clemson 40 Ohio State 35
Jan. 1, 2013 Florida State 31 Northern Illinois 10
Jan. 4, 2012 West Virginia 70 Clemson 33
Jan. 3, 2011 Stanford 40 Virginia Tech 12
Jan. 5, 2010 Iowa 24 Georgia Tech 14
Jan. 1, 2009 Virginia Tech 20 Cincinnati 7
Jan. 3, 2008 Kansas 24 Virginia Tech 21
Jan. 2, 2007 Louisville 24 Wake Forest 13
Jan. 2, 2006 Penn State 26 Florida State 23 (3 OT)
Jan. 4, 2005 USC 55 Oklahoma 19
Jan. 1, 2004 Miami 16 Florida State 14
Jan. 2, 2003 USC 38 Iowa 17
Jan. 2, 2002 Florida 56 Maryland 23
Jan. 3, 2001 Oklahoma 13 Florida State 2
Jan. 1, 2000 Michigan 35 Alabama 34 (OT)
Jan. 2, 1999 Florida 31 Syracuse 0
Jan. 2, 1998 Nebraska 42 Tennessee 17
Dec. 31, 1996 Nebraska 41 Virginia Tech 21
Jan. 1, 1996 Florida State 31 Notre Dame 26
Jan. 2, 1995 Nebraska 24 Miami 17
Jan. 1, 1994 Florida State 18 Nebraska 16
Jan. 1, 1993 Florida State 27 Nebraska 14
Jan. 1, 1992 Miami 22 Nebraska 0
Jan. 1, 1991 Colorado 10 Notre Dame 9
Jan. 1, 1990 Notre Dame 21 Colorado 6
Jan. 2, 1989 Miami 23 Nebraska 3
Jan. 1, 1988 Miami 20 Oklahoma 14
Jan. 1, 1987 Oklahoma 42 Arkansas 8
Jan. 1, 1986 Oklahoma 25 Penn State 10
Jan. 1, 1985 Washington 28 Oklahoma 17
Jan. 2, 1984 Miami 31 Nebraska 30
Jan. 1, 1983 Nebraska 21 LSU 20
Jan. 1, 1982 Clemson 22 Nebraska 15
Jan. 1, 1981 Oklahoma 18 Florida State 17
Jan. 1, 1980 Oklahoma 24 Florida State 7
Jan. 1, 1979 Oklahoma 31 Nebraska 24
Jan. 2, 1978 Arkansas 31 Oklahoma 0
Jan. 1, 1977 Ohio State 27 Colorado 10
Jan. 1, 1976 Oklahoma 14 Michigan 6
Jan. 1, 1975 Notre Mae 13 Alabama 11
Jan. 1, 1974 Penn State 16 LSU 9
Jan. 1, 1973 Nebraska 40 Notre Dame 6
Jan. 1, 1972 Nebraska 38 Alabama 6
Jan. 1, 1971 Nebraska 17 LSU 12
Jan. 1, 1970 Penn State 10 Missouri 3
Jan. 1, 1969 Penn State 15 Kansas 14
Jan. 1, 1968 Oklahoma 26 Tennessee 24
Jan. 2, 1967 Florida 27 Georgia Tech 12
Jan. 1, 1966 Alabama 39 Nebraska 28
Jan. 1, 1965 Texas 21 Alabama 17
Jan. 1, 1964 Nebraska 13 Auburn 7
Jan. 1, 1963 Alabama 17 Oklahoma 0
Jan. 1, 1962 LSU 25 Colorado 7
Jan. 2, 1961 Missouri 21 Navy 14
Jan. 1, 1960 Georgia 14 Missouri 0
Jan. 1, 1959 Oklahoma 21 Syracuse 6
Jan. 1, 1958 Oklahoma 48 Duke 21
Jan. 1, 1957 Colorado 27 Clemson 21
Jan. 2, 1956 Oklahoma 20 Maryland 6
Jan. 1, 1955 Duke 34 Nebraska 7
Jan. 1, 1954 Oklahoma 7 Maryland 0
Jan. 1, 1953 Alabama 61 Syracuse 6
Jan. 1, 1952 Georgia Tech 17 Baylor 14
Jan. 1, 1951 Clemson 15 Miami 14
Jan. 2, 1950 Santa Clara 21 Kentucky 13
Jan. 1, 1949 Texas 41 Georgia 28
Jan. 1, 1948 Georgia Tech 20 Kansas 14
Jan. 1, 1947 Rice 8 Tennessee 0
Jan. 1, 1946 Miami 13 Holy Cross (MA) 6
Jan. 1, 1945 Tulsa 26 Georgia Tech 12
Jan. 1, 1944 LSU 19 Texas A&M 14
Jan. 1, 1943 Alabama 37 Boston College 21
Jan. 1, 1942 Georgia 40 TCU 26
Jan. 1, 1941 Mississippi State 14 Georgetown 7
Jan. 1, 1940 Georgia Tech 21 Missouri 7
Jan. 2, 1939 Tennessee 17 Oklahoma 0
Jan. 1, 1938 Auburn 6 Michigan State 0
Jan. 1, 1937 Duquesne 13 Mississippi 12
Jan. 1, 1936 Catholic 20 Mississippi 19
Jan. 1, 1935 Bucknell 26 Miami 0
