WRAL Sports Fan

North Carolina

Reports have UNC to Meineke

Dec 3, 2008

According to reports North Carolina has been selected to play in the Meineke Car Care Bowl on December 27th at 1pm in Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.

WRAL-TV's Jeff Gravley spoke this afternoon with Will Webb, the executive director of the Meineke Bowl and he said that "everybody is interested in North Carolina" , but that there is "nothing official" and "there is no gentleman's agreement" between the Meineke Bowl and North Carolina.

The Meineke Car Care Bowl technically can't select the Tar Heels until the Champs Sports Bowl makes their selection or eliminates North Carolina from their list.  Webb said that the Heels had not been released as of this afternoon. 

Champs Sports Bowl executive director Steve Hogan told WRAL today that, "Carolina is definitely still on our list.  They are an excited program on the way back.  They have a brand people recognize and we have a lot of respect for Butch Davis." But no decision has been made on which team they will invite.

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando will select Florida State.  Hogan stated he hasn't heard anything from the ACC office on bowl selections.  Also, the Champs Sports bowl committee has a 200 person panel that votes on the participants in the game and they meet to make their selection on Sunday. 

This whole scenario can take clearer shape if the Gator Bowl pulls a wild card and selects Clemson.  There are reports out of South Carolina that the Tigers are the Gator Bowl's choice over Florida State and the announcement could come as early as Wednesday.

Georgia Tech will co-host a press conference Wednesday at 1 p.m. concerning the Yellow Jackets' bowl game selection. The Jackets are expected to make the short commute and play in the Chick-fil-A bowl at the Georgia Dome opposite a team from the SEC.