Today at 3:20 p.m. ET, Cincinnati (9-3, 6-2 American) and North Carolina (6-6, 4-4 ACC) go head-to-head in the Belk Bowl live from Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina. The game can be live streamed for free here.
Both these teams have traveled down similar paths that ultimately crossed in the Belk Bowl matchup this afternoon.
"They are a lot like us because they had a slow start and then won a lot of games in the end," Bearcats coach Tommy Tuberville said via ESPN. "We are probably a much better team now than we were at the beginning of the year, as they are."
Cincinnati enters its second consecutive Belk Bowl after beating Duke 48-34 last season and the team had six straight wins in the middle of this season to finish third in the ACC.
Brendan Kay has taken the reins under center after Munchie Legaux went down, and he'll look to continue to lead the team. Kay is 247-for-360 for 3,121 yards and 22 touchdowns thus far this season. Kay has dealt with some injuries himself, but he became just the fourth quarterback in Cincinnati history to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season.
"I tell you that kid competed and he did it on one leg. His ankle is so bad. He's been wanting to play and push through it and it's been that way for about six weeks and he has only practiced about one or two days a week," Tuberville said of Kay, according to ESPN. "He doesn't throw the ball much because his shoulders are so banged up but I tell you he is a warrior."
The Tar Heels have had some issues of their own at signal caller this season as quarterback Bryn Renner suffered a shoulder injury that ended his season on Nov. 2. Marquise Williams took over and has gone 107-for-184 for 1,527 yards with 14 touchdowns and six picks. He also leads the team in rushing yards with 490 yards on the ground off of 102 carries while reaching the end zone six times.
Eric Ebron has been their best option thus far, hauling in 55 receptions for 895 yards and three scores.
"I just go out there and do what I do best," Ebron told the school's official website. "Whatever special happens is built up inside and already packaged for the game. I can't justify that or make something spectacular happen, it's just going to happen. It's a bowl game; I'm here to have fun."
Cincinnati and North Carolina hit the field for the Belk Bowl this afternoon.
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