Thor Nystrom tracks players opting out of upcoming bowl games as well as the coaching changes around the college football landscape. Thor will update the article through the remainder of the season to keep you updated on bowl games, college prospects, and the 2023 NFL Draft.
And below we’ll take a closer look at the upcoming bowl game: Holiday Bowl.
Check out Thor’s projections for all college football bowl games 
Holiday Bowl: College Football News, Player Opt-Out Tracker & Game Preview (Oregon vs. North Carolina)
- Wednesday, December 28 | 7:00 PM
- Oregon (-14.5) vs. North Carolina | Total: 73
- ATL: Oregon -15.1 | ATT: 80
Oregon
- QB Jay Butterfield (Transfer portal)
- RB Byron Cardwell (Transfer portal)
- RB Sean Dollars (Transfer portal)
- WR Seven McGee (Transfer portal)
- WR Dont’e Thornton (Transfer portal)
- TE Terrell Tilmon (Transfer portal)
- OT Bram Walden (Transfer portal)
- OT Dawson Jaramillo (Transfer portal)
- DE Bradyn Swinson (Transfer portal)
- LB Justin Flowe (Transfer portal)
- LB Jackson LaDuke (Transfer portal)
- LB Adrian Jackson (Transfer portal)
- CB Christian Gonzalez (Opt-out)
Oregon QB Bo Nix confirmed he will play in the bowl, and also that he’s returning next season, both crucial developments for the Ducks.
LB Flowe and WR Thornton were former ballyhooed recruits who played rotational roles. Thornton was relied upon more down the stretch – it’s possible his enormous catch radius could be missed against what will be a rancid UNC secondary. Flowe is off to Arizona, while Thornton’s fellow rotational WR McGee chose to transfer to FCS Jackson State.
RB Cardwell was hurt most of the season and Oregon managed to have one of the nation’s most dangerous rushing offenses anyway. RB Dollars functioned as RB3. TE Tilmon and OTs Jaramillo and Walden barely played.
CB Gonazalez was a standout starter and All-Conference performer. Gonzalez, who posted a sterling 81.2 PFF grade during the fall, was the team’s most valuable defender.
North Carolina
- QB Jacoby Criswell (Transfer portal)
- RB Devon Lawrence (Transfer portal)
- RB Caleb Hood (Injury)
- RB British Brooks (Injury)
- WR Josh Downs (Opt-out)
- DT Jahlil Taylor (Transfer portal)
- DT Keeshawn Silver (Transfer portal)
- EDGE Chris Collins (Transfer portal)
- LB Raneiria Dillworth (Transfer portal)
- LB Sebastian Cheeks (Injury)
- LB Noah Taylor (Injury)
- CB Tony Grimes (Transfer portal)
- CB Storm Duck (Transfer portal)
- CB Dontae Balfour (Transfer portal)
- S Cam’Ron Kelly (Transfer portal)
- K Jonathan Kim (Transfer portal)
QB Drake Maye announced he would return to UNC next season – he’ll start. Maye was the ACC Player of the Year, ACC Offensive Player of the Year, ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Unfortunately, his top target, WR Downs, declared for the NFL Draft and opted out. Downs, a first-team All-ACC selection and second-team All-American, is one of the best receivers in America. His absence hurts. Though it could be argued it’s canceled-out by Oregon’s loss of Gonzalez.
RB Brooks, a projected potential starter in the preseason, was knocked out before the campaign with a knee injury. RB Hood is questionable with an undisclosed injury. LB Cheeks, who barely played, is out for the year with a shoulder injury.
EDGE Collins finished No. 13 on the defense in snaps, but PFF panned his work – he has transferred to Minnesota. LB Taylor, indisputably one of the defense’s top-three defenders through the first eight games, saw his season end with a lower-body injury in late-October.
UNC’s secondary was ravaged by defections – CB Grimes, CB Duck, and S Kelly were all starters. This is not good news for an awful-as-was Tar Heels defense. CB Ladaeson DeAndre Hollins, who entered the portal but pulled out to return, figures to see a ton of playing time in the bowl.
K Kim was the team’s kickoff specialist.
Coaching News
Both teams will be without their offensive play-callers. Oregon OC Kenny Dillingham took Arizona State’s HC job. The Ducks have tabbed offensive assistants Junior Adams and Drew Mehringer play-callers for this game.
UNC OC Phil Longo left to become Luke Fickell’s new OC at Wisconsin. UNC OL coach Jack Bicknell Jr. followed Longo to Wisconsin. HC Mack Brown named WR coach Lonnie Galloway passing-game coordinator and TE coach John Lilly running-game coordinator for the bowl game.
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