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3 reasons South Carolina Football will beat UNC in Duke’s Mayo Bowl

By Shane Lunnen

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 16: Defensive end Kingsley Enagbare #1 of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts with defensive back Jaylan Foster #12 during the fourth quarter during their game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Williams-Brice Stadium on October 16, 2021 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - OCTOBER 16: Defensive end Kingsley Enagbare #1 of the South Carolina Gamecocks reacts with defensive back Jaylan Foster #12 during the fourth quarter during their game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Williams-Brice Stadium on October 16, 2021 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) /
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South Carolina football will take on North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and here are three reasons why the Gamecocks will come away with a win. 

South Carolina football finished the season 6-6 and finds itself as an unexpected bowl participant in coach Shane Beamer’s first season in Columbia. The Gamecocks are looking for their first bowl victory since the 2018 Outback Bowl victory versus Michigan.

To add a little fuel to this bowl, the Gamecocks will take on their rivals from the north, the Tar Heels. The two teams have met 58 times on the gridiron but this will be the first matchup in a bowl game.

This should be a fun one in Charlotte. The winning coach has agreed to take a mayo bath and I’m here for it. As long as the winning team does not break the trophy this year. Let’s take a look at three reasons why South Carolina defeats North Carolina.

3. Tar Heels are wildly inconsistent

South Carolina has some glaring holes however North Carolina has been inconsistent this entire season. The Tar Heels entered the season with high expectations and fell way short of those lofty goals.

It all started right out of the gate, losing to Virginia Tech. The Tar Heels followed with another loss to Georgia Tech a few weeks later. Yet somehow this team beat Wake Forest and hung tough with both Pitt and Notre Dame.

Quarterback Sam Howell was a preseason Heisman contender. But the Tar Heels offensive line was mostly nonexistent this season and Howell’s Heisman hopes faded as the season progressed.

The Tar Heels should have been more than their 6-6 record indicated. The offense has a lot of talent but in the end, they had to claw their way just to get a bowl game. The Gamecocks can take advantage of the inconsistencies of the Tar Heels.