Bill Belichick Names Gio Lopez QB1 for UNC vs. TCU on Week 1 CFB Schedule

After transferring to North Carolina in the spring, Gio Lopez has been named the team's starting quarterback to open the 2025 season.

Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick announced that Lopez will start Monday's opener against TCU.

Lopez spent his first two college seasons at South Alabama, including starting 11 of 13 games during the 2024 campaign. He was expected to be one of the top quarterbacks in the Group of Five going into 2025, even going through spring camp with the Jaguars.

Two days after South Alabama wrapped spring practice, Lopez entered the transfer portal on April 16. He committed to North Carolina the following day.

ESPN's Eli Lederman noted Tar Heels officials contacted Lopez back in March and remained engaged with him before he finally gave them a commitment. Georgia and LSU also expressed interest in him with the idea that he could compete for the starting job in 2026.

Speaking to CBS Sports' Chris Hummer in July, Lopez said his decision to attend North Carolina was due in part to Belichick personally picking him to be the quarterback.

"He's one of the greatest coaches of all time, if not the greatest," Lopez said. "So, you know, being handpicked by him to be his quarterback is special. I want to live up to that."

Max Johnson, a sixth-year grad student, was the other quarterback competing for the job. He entered 2024 as the starter but suffered a season-ending broken leg in the opener against Minnesota.

Lopez completed 66.0 percent of his attempts for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns through the air in 2024. He also ran for 463 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Tar Heels will host TCU at Kenan Stadium at 8 p.m. ET on Monday. It will mark Belichick's first game as a head coach since parting ways with the New England Patriots on Jan. 11, 2024.