Tennessee fans are finally being granted the matchup they desired all season long; a game against North Carolina, and better yet, they get to watch their Volunteers play in their home state. The Vols will suit up to play the Tar Heels on December 30^th in Nashville, hoping to carry the momentum of a four game winning streak at the end of the regular season into the bowl segment of the NCAA football schedule. Tennessee managed to salvage their season with the streak, finishing at .500 while North Carolina's year has been an ongoing disaster. The Heels were penalized with several ineligibility rulings by the NCAA, decimating their experienced defense which was presumed to be one of the nation's best units and rendering what was supposed to be a successful season into a lost one. Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton had cancelled the teams' scheduled meetings this season, believing that the Volunteers' schedule was too difficult, but after hearing the backlash from the university's fans Hamilton pleaded with bowl officials to slot North Carolina in the Music City Bowl.

Tennessee's turnaround began with Coach Derek Dooley's decision to replace starting quarterback Matt Simms with Tyler Bray, a freshman, after Bray had relieved Simms in three consecutive blowout losses to ranked opponents in October. Bray took over the team and passed for over 320 yards in three of the Volunteers' four wins down the stretch. The underclassman's inexperience showed in his unimpressive completion percentage, but his talent is undeniable - Bray led the offense to back to back 50 point games, including a 5 touchdown showing against Memphis in which Bray's quarterback rating was a ridiculous 190.30. Junior tailback Tauren Poole provides the needed balance for the young pivot, averaging over 5 yards per carry. Poole ran for 994 yards on the year but had 5 games in which he failed to gain over 60. The Vols will need Poole to be on point as the heightened atmosphere of a rivalry bowl game could overexcite Bray.

North Carolina Head Coach Butch Davis had been preparing for a season in which his team was to compete for a top-10 ranking in the NCAA football standings and a major BCS Bowl game, but after star defensive tackle Marvin Austin and defensive end Robert Quinn, among 10 others, were ruled ineligible, those hopes were dashed entirely. A defense that was expected to boast 9 returning starters was now the ACC's third best and the Heels became an afterthought in the NCAA. The identity of the team now comes from senior quarterback T.J. Yates, who passed for 3,184 yards with a 148.78 rating on the season. Yates will look to target 6'4 receiver Dwight Jones, a junior who averages 15 yards per catch and caught 4 scores, but should be wary of Tennessee defensive back Prentiss Waggner. Waggner has enough height at 6'2 to contend with Jones and had 5 interceptions this season.

Tennessee and North Carolina, natural border rivals, have not played against each other since 1961. Though the two teams have had disappointing seasons relative to their history and preseason expectations, the matchup and crowd should generate a fantastic atmosphere for a bowl game, with the winner being able to add a pleasant memory to a down year.