By RL Bynum

With bowl announcements set for later Sunday, there is growing consensus that North Carolina team interim coach Freddie Kitchens will lead the way to the Myrtle Beach Bowl.

Half of the 10 predictions have the Tar Heels traveling to Conway, SC to face Coastal Carolina (6-6) for the game on Monday, December 23rd at 11 a.m. (ESPN). The game will take place at Brooks Stadium, the 21,000-seat home of the Chanticleers.

Seve Lassan of Athlon Sports, Brad Crawford of 247Sports, Mark Schabach of ESPN and Jerry Palm of CBS Sports as well as Scott Dochterman and Stewart Mandel of The Athletic are planning this duel.

Carolina and Coastal have two common opponents. Both lost to James Madison, with the Chanticleers losing 39-7 in a road game on October 10th, while the Heels lost 70-50 at home on September 21st. Carolina won 41-14 at Virginia on October 26, while Coastal lost to the Cavaliers at home 43-24 on September 21.

Coastal lost two of its last three games, losing 31-19 at Marshall on Nov. 16 and 26-6 at home to Georgia Southern on Nov. 23 before winning 48-27 at Georgia State on Nov. 30.

Chanticleers running back Braydon Bennett, a 6-2, 215-pound redshirt senior, has rushed for 727 yards and 11 touchdowns, while running back Christian Washington, a 5-10, 200-pound redshirt sophomore, has rushed for 537 yards and has five touchdowns.

Quarterback Ethan Vasko, a 6-3, 202-pound redshirt sophomore transfer from Kansas, has completed 148 of 271 passes for 14 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The top receiver is Jameson Tucker, a 6-2, 190-pound redshirt junior with 31 catches for 540 yards and six touchdowns.

Coastal went 3-5 and finished fifth in the seven-team Sun Belt Conference East Division.

The other five projections each have the Tar Heels in different bowls, three against service academies.

ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura sees UNC taking on Navy (8-3) in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas on Friday, December 27 at noon or 3:30 p.m. (ESPN). The Midshipmen play Army on Saturday at 3 p.m. (CBS) at Northwest Stadium (home of the NFL’s Washington Commanders) in Landover, Maryland.

College Football News predicts a matchup with Army (11-1) in the Military Bowl in Annapolis, Maryland, Saturday, Dec. 28, 5:45 p.m. (ESPN). Army beat Tulane 35-14 for the American Conference title on Friday before meeting Navy on Saturday.

Action Network’s Brett McMurphy has UNC taking on Army in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., on Dec. 28 at 9:15 p.m. (ESPN).

USA todayErick Smith predicts Carolina will play Florida (7-6) in the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida on December 20 at 3:30 p.m. (ESPN).

The Sports News‘ Bill Bender has the Heels playing Oklahoma (6-6) in the Birmingham Bowl on Friday, December 27 at 12:00 or 3:30 p.m. (ESPN).

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Steve Lassan of Athlon Sports, Brad Crawford of 247Sports, Mark Schlabach of ESPN, Jerry Palm of CBS Sports and Scott Dochterman and Stewart Mandel of The Athletic
vs. Coastal Carolina (6-6) in the Myrtle Beach Bowl in Conway, S.C., Monday, Dec. 23, 11 a.m., ESPN

Action Network’s Brett McMurphy
vs. Army (11-1) in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana, December 28 at 9:15 p.m. (ESPN)

Kyle Bonagura, ESPN
vs. Navy (8-3) in the Armed Forces Bowl in Fort Worth, Texas, on Friday, December 27, at noon or 3:30 p.m., ESPN

Erick Smith, USA today
vs. Florida (7-6) in the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., 3:30 p.m., Dec. 20 (ESPN)

Bill Bender, The Sports News
vs. Oklahoma (6-6) in the Birmingham Bowl, Friday, Dec. 27, 12:00 p.m. or 3:30 p.m., ESPN

College Football News
vs. Army (11-1) at the Military Bowl, Annapolis, Maryland, 5:45 p.m. Saturday, December 28, ESPN

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Month/ Date	Opponent	Time/ Score	TV/ record
August
29	in Minnesota	W, 19-17	1-0
September
7	against Charlotte	W, 38-20	2-0
14	vs. NC Central	W, 45-10	3-0
21	against James Madison	L, 70-50	3-1
28	at Duke	L, 21-20	3–2, 0-1 ACC
October
5	against No. 18 Pittsburgh	L, 34-24	3-3, 0-2
12	vs. Georgia Tech	L, 41-34	3-4, 0-3
26	in Virginia	W, 41-14	4-4, 1-3
November
2	in the state of Florida	W, 35-11	5-4, 2-3
16	vs. Wake Forest	W, 31-24	6-4, 3-3
23	at Boston College	L, 41-21	6-5, 3-4
30	vs. NC State	L, 35-30	6-6, 3-5

Photo via @UNCFootball

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