As the college football season enters its final weeks, North Carolina's FBS programs find themselves in an intriguing race for bowl eligibility. While Duke has already secured its postseason spot with 7 wins, six other programs across the state remain in contention for bowl berths. North Carolina, NC State, and East Carolina each sit just one victory away from the crucial 6-win threshold, while Wake Forest and Appalachian State need to win two more games to extend their seasons. Even Charlotte maintains a mathematical chance despite needing to win all three remaining games. With several head-to-head matchups looming and the calendar turning to mid-November, the Old North State could see anywhere from two to all seven FBS teams bowling this holiday season.
North Carolina FBS Teams Bowl Eligibility
As of November 14, 2024
Already Bowl Eligible
Duke (7-3)
- Status: BOWL ELIGIBLE ✅
- Remaining Schedule:
- vs Virginia Tech
- at Wake Forest
East Carolina (6-4)
- at North Texas
- vs Navy
North Carolina (6-4)
- Status: BOWL ELIGIBLE ✅
- Remaining Schedule:
- at Boston College
- vs NC State
One Win Away (Need 6th Win)
NC State (5-5)
- Status: NEEDS ONE WIN
- Remaining Schedule:
- at Georgia Tech (Thu 11/21)
- at North Carolina
- Path: One win in final two games secures bowl eligibility
Needs to Win Two
Wake Forest (4-5)
- Status: MUST WIN OUT
- Remaining Schedule:
- at Miami
- vs Duke
- Path: Must win both remaining games against tough ACC competition
Appalachian State (4-5)
- Status: MUST WIN OUT
- Remaining Schedule:
- vs James Madison
- at Georgia Southern
- Path: Must win both remaining games
Eliminated
Charlotte (3-7)
- Status: ELIMINATED
- Remaining Schedule:
- at FAU
- vs UAB
- Status: Cannot reach 6 wins, APR (Academic Progress Rate) too low to qualify with 5-7 record
State Overview
- Already Eligible: 3 teams
- One Win Away: 1 team
- Two Wins Away: 2 teams
- Eliminated: 1 team
Potential Scenarios
- Best Case: State could have up to 6 bowl-eligible teams
- Worst Case: State could have as few as 2 bowl-eligible teams
- Most Likely: 3-4 teams reach bowl eligibility
Notable Storylines
- Three ACC teams (Duke, UNC, NC State) could all make bowls
- All three teams needing one win have multiple chances to get it
- Wake Forest faces toughest path with two road games against ACC opponents
- Four teams could clinch bowl eligibility in next two weeks
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