As was the case a year ago, North Carolina began its 2026 season by scoring first against TCU. But this time, that wasn’t the only highlight for the Tar Heels in their season opener.
UNC opened Year 2 of the Bill Belichick era in Dublin, Ireland, on Saturday, picking up an upset 15–10 victory over the Horned Frogs in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. The Tar Heels’ victory stood in stark contrast to a year ago, when TCU beat UNC 48–14 in Belichick’s highly anticipated Chapel Hill debut.
Starting the season 1-0 is no small feat for the Tar Heels, who entered the 2026 campaign with less buzz and more baggage than a year ago. Most notably, the program placed general manager Michael Lombardi on paid administrative leave in late July as the university investigated a personnel complaint against the longtime Belichick associate. Meanwhile, UNC defensive coordinator Steve Belichick—Bill’s son—has been out on medical leave since Aug. 6 and didn’t coach against TCU on Saturday. In his place, Bill Belichick himself took over defensive play-calling duties, the first time he’s called plays full-time since his final season with the Patriots in 2019.
Yet despite the preseason distractions, the Tar Heels looked much improved from the UNC team that amassed a disappointing 4–8 record (2–6 in the ACC) during Belichick’s debut season in 2025. That’s not to say the Tar Heels are now a College Football Playoff—or even ACC—contender, or that the program’s unique NFL-centric approach has been validated. Still, the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach now has his first signature win at the college level.
