Neal Brown Desired Power 5 Bowl Opponent, Views North Carolina as Perfect Fit

WVU head coach Neal Brown expressed his excitement about West Virginia’s upcoming appearance in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and true feeling about the bowl selection process while talking with the media and the Charlotte Sports Foundation Executive Director Danny Morrison on Tuesday.

“Really excited about representing the Big 12 in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl,” said Brown. He then detailed how he found about WVU’s postseason fate. “Sunday was an interesting day, but I think it landed in a really good place. As you all know, large group of Mountaineers in the Charlotte area. One of our biggest alumni bases is Charlotte. It’s a six-hour drive from Morgantown, so it’s a great location for our fans.”

Part of why Brown likes being in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl is due to the opponent. Brown directly said he wanted the Mountaineers to face a Power 5 program over a Group of 5 school.

WVU HC Neal Brown makes it clear he wanted to play a Power 5 program in the bowl game. He even said playing an ACC school in the bowl game would be a good fit.

— Mike J. Asti (@MikeAsti11) December 5, 2023

“Quality matchup versus North Carolina. A team that was ranked for most of the year. A lot of respect for Mack Brown. What he’s done in his coaching profession, how he conducts his business. A lot of respect there,” Brown explained about why he views North Carolina as a perfect fit as the opposition for the Mountaineers.

He even added that he was hoping WVU would be matched up with an ACC program because he knows that would excite the fans and harken back to some of West Virginia’s past big games and rivalries.

And even though the Tar Heels aren’t a rival, there is a bowl history between the two programs.

WVU to Reignite Bowl Past in Duke’s Mayo Matchup with North Carolina

West Virginia will meet North Carolina in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte on Dec. 27. The game will kickoff at 5:30 pm ET and be broadcast on ESPN. WVU opened as a slight favorite over UNC.