Bill Belichick, UNC Beat TCU as CFB Fans React to 2026 Season Opener in Ireland

Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the TCU Horned Frogs 15-10 on Saturday, securing the victory behind a strong defensive performance and scoring effort.

The Horned Frogs were an 8.5-point favorite over the Tar Heels, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, but could not translate their championship-caliber talent to Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.

Both TCU and North Carolina found field goals and touchdowns in an exciting opening quarter, finishing the period knotted at 10.

UNC's Jaylen McGill rushed for a 9-yard touchdown, scoring the Tar Heels' first touchdown of the season on a 70-yard, seven-play drive down the field.

The Tar Heels' defense stood strong in the second quarter, forcing a turnover on downs to open the period and recording a safety for two points. 

The offense then committed a fumble before the close of the half, but TCU could not capitalize, going three-and-out as the Tar Heels took a 12-10 lead into the break.

Maybe the absence of defensive coordinator and Belichick's son, Steve Belichick, was for the best in Ireland, as the Tar Heels looked as impressive as they have since the two joined the program in 2025.

It was announced Aug. 6 that Steve would be out indefinitely on medical leave as the team's defensive coordinator, with the staff set to coach the defense collectively in the meantime, per USA Today's Austin Curtright.

The second half saw UNC's defense force two turnovers on downs and record one forced fumble, adding to the two turnovers on downs and safety it forced in the first half as the Tar Heels cruised to a 15-10 victory.

In Belichick's first year coaching college football, choosing the Tar Heels as his new home, the team finished a disappointing 4-8, including 2-6 in the ACC, under the former six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach and starting quarterback Gio Lopez.

Lopez transferred to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons for his junior season, making way for senior quarterback Edwards Jr., formerly of the Wisconsin Badgers program.

After his subpar opening college football season out east, Belichick placed some of the blame on the dynamic between him and a team he had little part in recruiting.

"The group last year, I mean, I wouldn't say they were, like, disrespectful, that's not the right word, but it was just different," Belichick said on Barstool Sports' Pardon My Take (h/t Sports Illustrated's Logan Lazarczyk). "It was like they were recruited by somebody else; they came here for somebody else."

"I was new, they were leaving, you know. It wasn't a bad relationship, but it wasn't a great one," Belichick continued. "There wasn't the same kind of adhesion that there is to guys that you bring in, that come there because of you, because they want to be with you. And then you grow together."

With a promising Week 0 victory in the books, North Carolina is looking to shed the woes of last season as it enters the 2026 regular season against East Tennessee State on Saturday, Sept. 12, seeking a regular season opening win at home.