TCU Defeats UNC 48-14 in Belichick's College Coaching Debut at Chapel Hill

The 2025 college football season opened with a highly anticipated game between TCU and UNC, marking Bill Belichick's debut as a college head coach. Despite a strong start, UNC quickly faltered, losing 48-14 to TCU, whose defense and running game dominated, highlighted by a 75-yard touchdown run from transfer Kevorian Barnes and two defensive touchdowns. UNC's offense struggled after the opening drive, compounded by starting quarterback Gio Lopez leaving the game with a back injury; Max Johnson replaced him and threw a touchdown to his brother Jake. UNC's defense was unable to contain TCU's Air Raid offense, allowing nearly 300 passing yards and 250 rushing yards. The loss was a major disappointment for UNC, especially given the high expectations and significant investment in Belichick, whose team showed little cohesion and was outclassed on the field. Both Belichick and UNC players dismissed the offseason hype, focusing instead on controlling what they can and improving performance moving forward.