South Carolina (6-6, 3-5 SEC) vs North Carolina (6-6, 3-5 ACC)

When: Thursday, Dec 30, 2021 - 11:30 AM ET

Where: Bank of America Stadium - Charlotte, NC (74,867)

Broadcast: ESPN (Anish Shroff, Mike Golic Jr, Taylor McGregor)

Local Radio: Gamecock IMG Sports Network (Todd Ellis, Tommy Suggs, Jamar Nesbit)

Satellite Radio: Sirius 137/XM 190

Odds: UNC -9.5 (O/U 57)

Weather: 63 degrees, wind 8 mph

The Gamecocks (6-6, 3-5 SEC) and Tar Heels (6-6, 3-5 ACC) are set for an 11:30 a.m. kickoff on ESPN.

There are options to stream the game, including on the ESPN app, but viewers will need to be logged in within the app with a TV provider and package that already includes SEC Network.

ESPN is also available on all the major streaming platforms, such as Hulu Live, YouTube TV, DirecTV Stream and FuboTV.

Breaking down the keys: South Carolina vs. UNC

Before the Sandstorm: Ep. 14, Keys to Success in Duke's Mayo Bowl

Noland ready for final ride as player

Vann discusses looming NFL decision

WATCH: Shane Beamer Duke's Mayo Bowl Media Day Press Conference

Beamer gives latest on Gamecocks' COVID status

Live updates: Duke's Mayo Bowl Media Day

Video: Carlins Platel praises Shane Beamer ahead of Duke's Mayo Bowl

Players are 'locked in' for bowl game

The Verdict: What Makes The Great American College Football Stadium?

Star power: How starters for Gamecocks, Tar Heel ranked as prospects

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BATTLE OF THE CAROLINAS: The two flagship universities of the Carolinas - South Carolina and North Carolina - renew its rivalry on Thursday, Dec. 30, in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. This will mark the 59th meeting on the gridiron between these two bordering schools. North Carolina holds a 35-19- 4 advantage in the all-time series, including a 3-1 mark when the game has been played at a neutral site. However, South Carolina has won three of the last four contests and six of the last eight overall.

BEAMER VERSUS THE HEELS: This will mark South Carolina head coach Shane Beamer’s first meeting against the Tar Heels as a head coach.

MACK ATTACKS THE GAMECOCKS: North Carolina head coach Mack Brown is 2-3 against the Gamecocks, with the first four games coming during his first stint in Chapel Hill. The Gamecocks defeated the Tar Heels by scores of 31-10, 27-20 and 27-5 from 1988-90, before Brown and the Tar Heels tallied a 21-17 win during the 1991 season. Brown led UNC to a 24-20 win over Will Muschamp’s Gamecocks to kick off the 2019 season in Charlotte.

THE LAST TIME THEY MET: True freshman quarterback Sam Howell threw for 245 yards and two touchdowns, Myles Wolfork had two late fourth quarter interceptions and North Carolina battled back to defeat South Carolina 24-20 on August 31, 2019 in Charlotte. The game marked Mack Brown’s return to the sideline following a five-year hiatus. Howell capped second half drives of 98 and 95 yards with a 22-yard TD strike to Dyami Brown and a 17-yard scoring toss to Beau Corrales to give Brown his first win since 2013, when he coached at Texas. South Carolina held a 20-9 advantage heading into the final period, but was unable to secure the win. Attendance was 52,183.

THE LAST GAMECOCK WIN: The Gamecocks and Tar Heels opened the 2015 season at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium on Sept. 3, with South Carolina posting a 17-13 win. The Tar Heels took a 13-10 lead into intermission, but Shon Carson broke a 48-yard run to paydirt early in the fourth quarter for the only score in the second half, lifting the Gamecocks to victory. Linebacker Skai Moore intercepted a pair of passes in the end-zone, including one in the game’s final minutes to preserve the win. South Carolina did most of its damage on the ground, rushing for 254 yards. The announced attendance was 51,664.

CAROLINA ON MY MIND: The Gamecocks have 14 players on the current roster who played their high school ball in the state of North Carolina. Four players list Charlotte as their hometown - Eric Douglas played at Mallard Creek, Jovaughn Gwyn played for Harding University, Jake Helfrich prepped at Providence Day and Jaylen Nichols went to Myers Park. Others from the Tar Heel State include: Nick Muse (Belmont), Mohamed Kaba (Clinton), Rick Sandidge (Concord); Nick Barrett (Goldsboro), Jalen Brooks (Harrisburg), Traevon Kenion (Monroe); Spencer Eason-Riddle (Raleigh); Sherrod Greene (Rocky Mount); Mitch Jeter (Salisbury) and Jaylin Dickerson (Southern Pines).

NON-CONFERENCE SUCCESS: The Gamecocks are 35-12 in their last 47 non-conference games, with seven of the 12 losses coming against Clemson. Carolina is 3-1 in non-conference action in 2021 with wins over Eastern Illinois (46-0), East Carolina (20-17) and Troy (23-14) and a loss to Clemson.

THERE’S A CONNECTION: North Carolina defensive coordinator Jay Bateman was Pete Lembo’s DC for nine years at Lehigh, Elon and Ball State. Lembo coaches special teams for the Gamecocks.

WHEN WILL I SEE YOU AGAIN? The Gamecocks and Tar Heels are scheduled to meet at Bank of America Stadium again to kick off the 2023 season on Sept. 2, 2023. The teams also have a home-and-home series booked for later in the decade, with the Tar Heels coming to Columbia in 2028, then the Gamecocks making the return trip to Chapel Hill in 2029

Collyn Taylor: It’s hard for me to see an avenue where the Gamecocks win this game. Sam Howell and a potent North Carolina offense is playing against a Gamecock defense that struggles to stop the run. South Carolina is without two of its best play makers in ZaQuandre White and JJ Enagbare and dealing with some more COVID issues and positives as well with a few guys having to miss the game. If South Carolina does win, it will do it on the back of its run game and the Gamecocks’ stifling a really good rushing attack. North Carolina 31, South Carolina 17

Wes Mitchell: Despite South Carolina already being the underdog and also being outmanned in this game due to opt-outs, injuries and COVID issues, I expect the Gamecocks to compete. But even with the Tar Heels struggles on defense, I'm not sure there's enough firepower for South Carolina to outpace a UNC offense that has the better quarterback and has been good in the running game. That's a bad combo for a South Carolina defense that has outplayed expectations but has also struggled to stop the run this season. North Carolina 31, South Carolina 21

Michael Beckham: The Gamecocks are shorthanded, and I wouldn’t be optimistic about this matchup even if they were at full strength. If there’s one thing North Carolina does, it’s that they put up points. South Carolina? Not so much. Mack Brown gets the mayo bath in this one. UNC 33, Carolina 24

Kendall Smith: First of all, I'd like to point out how sad I am that this is my last score prediction of the year. This season flew by and it is hard to believe that it is already time for the Duke's Mayo Bowl. I will start by saying this, Sam Howell is a high school friend of mine and I have been watching him play since middle school. He has always been extremely talented. I remember back in my high school days, he played for Sun Valley which was one of the major rivals of my school, Weddington. He is prolific, agile and incredibly intelligent in terms of the decisions he makes on the field. Coach Beamer mentioned how he never realized how good Sam is at running and breaking tackles, but this is the way Sam has played for years, as I remember how much it frustrated me in high school. I think that Howell will be too much to handle for South Carolina.

Luckily for the Gamecocks, the UNC defense has struggled this season, creating an opportunity for a South Carolina offense that has struggled as a whole to create some explosive plays. To boil it down, South Carolina doesn't have a stellar offense, but UNC doesn't have a stellar defense. Yet. South Carolina has a pretty solid defense and North Carolina has a pretty solid offense. We will see which side of the ball has a larger impact, but I just think the impact of Sam Howell will be a lot for the Gamecocks the bear, especially without JJ Enagbare. Sam is from Charlotte, and is ending his Tarheel career in the Duke's Mayo Bowl at the same place he started his college career (Bank of America Stadium) against the same team (South Carolina). The only thing stopping Sam from a poetic ending to his college career is the Gamecock defense. Can they do it? I just cannot definitively say so right now. North Carolina 34, South Carolina 17

Michael Sauls: I think Sam Howell being back is going to play a huge role in this game. He's a phenomenal QB and he'll have a good chance at wreaking havoc on the South Carolina defense with his arm and his legs. Losing guys like JJ Enagbare and ZaQuandre White will hurt the Gamecocks but only time will tell how much it will hurt them. Regardless, I think USC will put up a fight but UNC will stretch the lead out late. North Carolina 35, South Carolina 17

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