The North Carolina Tar Heels and head coach Bill Belichick put a difficult offseason behind them in a Week 0 win over the TCU Horned Frogs. While far from aesthetically pleasing, it sure beat what came before it in 2025.
North Carolina kicked off the FBS season in rainy Ireland on Saturday with a 15-10 win, a far cry from last year’s season opener in Belichick’s program debut, when the Tar Heels were embarrassed by TCU at home, 48-14.
“It feels great,” sixth-year transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. told ESPN after the game. “I don’t think I played my best football,” he added. “We got a lot of stuff to clean up, but at least we can do it in the victory column.”
North Carolina Tar Heels, head coach Bill Belichick win sloppy 2026 season opener over TCU Horned Frogs
By no means should North Carolina start thinking about booking hotels in the Charlotte area for the first weekend of December, but the performance should somewhat lower the temperature surrounding Belichick, who went 4-8 last season.
The Tar Heels offense, in its first season under offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino, finished the opening quarter with 141 yards, its most in 13 games with Belichick as head coach, per the ESPN broadcast. North Carolina also entered halftime with a lead (12-10) against a power conference opponent for the first time under Belichick.