The Baylor Bears face the North Carolina Tar Heels on Tuesday afternoon in the Russell Athletic Bowl. The Tar Heels finished the season with an 11-2 record, but fell short in the ACC Championship game against undefeated Clemson. Baylor's season ended in disappointment, losing three of their last four games, and head coach Art Briles will look for his team to end the season on a high note with a significant win over North Carolina.
The Bears will be without their two top quarterbacks, and are now without star wide receiver Corey Coleman and running back Shock Linwood due to injuries. Sophomore quarterback Chris Johnson will get the start for the Bears on Tuesday, but has struggled to stay consistent. Johnson has thrown for 220 yards with three touchdowns to two interceptions in the limited time he has played this season.
The 6-foot-5, 225-pound quarterback is a dual threat behind center, as he has rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown as well this season. With almost a month of preparation, it will be interesting to watch how Johnson performs, as he has likely been working on his team chemistry with the first team in practice.
Briles' offense looks to score points quickly, but don't be surprised if the Bears run the ball a little more than usual Tuesday. Sophomore running back Johnny Jefferson will lead the backfield for Baylor's offense, and his team will need him to step up in the absence of Linwood. Jefferson has rushed over 700 yards on the year and has scored five touchdowns.
The Bears running back won't be the only player that needs to step up in their bowl game, as wide receiver KD Cannon will need to make his presences felt as Baylor's top wide receiver. Cannon has 46 receptions for 828 yards with six touchdowns, and will need to be an impact player against North Carolina's defense.
Both of the teams can score points quickly, as Baylor lead the nation scoring 48 points per game, and the Tar Heels are not far behind, averaging 40.9 points per game.
Tar Heels head coach Larry Fedora will look for his quarterback Marquise Williams to continue his great season with a win over the Bears on Tuesday. The Tar Heels senior quarterback has thrown for 2,829 yards with 21 touchdowns to nine interceptions. Williams is a dual threat out of the backfield and is second on the team in rushing with 867 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The Tar Heels can make plays both through the air and on the ground, and look for running back Elijah Hood to see plenty of touches against Baylor's defense. The sophomore running back is a huge piece for the Tar Heels offense, as he has rushed for 1,345 yards and scored 17 touchdowns.
The Russell Athletic Bowl is set to be a high scoring fast paced offensive game, but whoever's defense comes ready to play Tuesday could be the difference maker. The game starts at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time, and you can watch the live broadcast here. To listen to the Tar Heels' radio broadcast, click here, and for the Bears' radio broadcast, go here.
