By R.L. Bynum

Wide receiver Tez Walker will be able to play this season after all — but not until No. 15 Carolina’s expected bowl game.

A school spokesman confirmed Wednesday night that Walker becomes eligible after finishing two semesters at UNC. He transferred to Carolina before the spring 2023 semester and would have met that standard after the fall semester concludes.

With the final day of class on Dec. 6, Walker wouldn’t be eligible to play for UNC should the Tar Heels make the ACC championship game in Charlotte on Dec. 2.

Walker is in a similar situation as another ACC player who has transferred multiple times, Florida State defensive lineman Darrell Jackson. He also couldn’t play until the No. 5 Seminoles’ bowl game.

At 4–0, UNC needs only two more wins to become bowl-eligible, so it’s safe to assume that Walker can play at least one game this season.

The NCAA denied Walker a waiver to play this season despite transferring from Kent State to UNC in January before the two-time transfer rule was changed.

Walker, who made the preseason All-ACC team and the preseason Biletnikoff Award watchlist, tied for the Mid-American Conference lead and was seventh in the country last season with 11 touchdown receptions. Over two seasons at Kent State, he caught 63 passes for 1,045 yards and 12 touchdowns.

UNC schedule

Month/ date	Opponent/event	2023 record	UNC record in series
April
20	Spring game, 3 p.m.	—	—
August
29 (Thurs.)	at Minnesota	6–7	1–0
September
7	Charlotte	3–9	0–0
14	N.C. Central	9–3	0–0
21	James Madison	11–2	3–0
28	at Duke	8–5	65–40–4
October
5	Pittsburgh	3–9	12–5
12	Georgia Tech	7–6	22–33–3
26	at Virginia	3–9	66–58–4
November
2	at Florida State	13–1	3–17–1
16	Wake Forest	4–8	72–36–2
23	at Boston College	7–6	6–2
30	N.C. State	9–4	68–39–6