Texas Football: Longhorns-UNC Camping World Bowl appeals to CEO

Is the Camping World Bowl a realistic destination for the Texas football program? If so, it might involve a reunion with Mack Brown and the UNC Tar Heels.

The Texas football program finished up their regular season slate with a record of 7-5 (5-4 Big 12). The expectation coming into the 2019 campaign was hopeful that head Texas football coach Tom Herman would have his team in a postseason game like the Sugar Bowl, once again, or even the College Football Playoff.

However, the best case scenario for the Texas Longhorns football program now looks to be a slot in either the Alamo Bowl or the Camping World Bowl. Even dropping down to the Liberty Bowl or Texas Bowl is a possibility for the Longhorns.

But there could be a fun matchup in store if the Longhorns get into the Camping World Bowl. The CEO of the company Camping World opened up on the idea of the Longhorns and North Carolina Tar Heels meeting up in a postseason game this year. The bowl game that his company sponsors does pit the Big 12 against the ACC.

This Tweet from Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis came in response to a post from RedditCFB. He seems to like the idea of former Texas head coach Mack Brown getting to face Herman in a Longhorns-Tar Heels matchup in the Camping World Bowl this season, if his influence carries any weight in the decision.

UNC finished up their regular season slate with a record of 6-6, after knocking off their in-state rival NC State Wolfpack in a dominant victory. UNC was also the closest team that came to knocking off the defending National Champions Clemson Tigers in ACC play this year.

What would also be fun is a matchup between true freshman UNC quarterback Sam Howell and junior star Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger. Howell had himself a nice freshman season, and Ehlinger is looking to continue his bounce back after an up and down third-year on the Forty Acres.

Yet, most of the appeal in this potential bowl game matchup would surround the coaching matchup. The former legendary Texas head coach Brown is looking to resurrect the football program he started with before making his way to Austin. UNC had a nice season themselves, improving their regular season record by a mark of four wins.

And one of the Longhorns assistant coaches is the former UNC head coach. Larry Fedora was brought on board for the Longhorns as an analyst during the offseason. That would add an extra layer of intrigue to this game without a doubt.

At least landing in the Camping World Bowl and finishing up with eight wins isn’t a complete disaster for the Longhorns, given where they were after the 14-point loss to the Baylor Bears. Texas just got back on track by knocking off the Texas Tech Red Raiders by the final score of 49-24 at home on Nov. 29.

The last time that Brown was the Texas head coach, the Longhorns were dominated by the Oregon Ducks in a 31-7 loss in the Alamo Bowl. He finished out that 2013 season with a record of 8-5. But that 2013 campaign for the Longhorns involved the most wins in any until Herman reached the double-digit win mark last season.