North Carolina gets back to work Saturday night with a very different kind of momentum than the one it carried into its last two road trips.
The Tar Heels, now 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, return to Chapel Hill, N.C., to host Syracuse after back-to-back close wins away from home. They knocked off Pitt and then Duke, with the victory over the Blue Devils coming on a late touchdown that sparked a lively celebration and brought the Victory Bell back to North Carolina. The party stretched into Sunday afternoon with a small on-campus celebration, but Bill Belichick was quick to make the next step clear.
"This one is in the books," North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick said. "It's great to beat Duke, but we're done with them. It's on to Syracuse."
Syracuse arrives at 2-4 overall and 0-4 in ACC play, the lone league team still searching for its first conference win. Belichick said the Orange’s record does not tell the whole story.
"I don't think their record is indicative of the talent they have," Belichick said. "They're a few plays away. They lost four, but they've had a chance to win every game."
Fran Brown is trying to keep the focus on what his team can still do. Syracuse heads to Chapel Hill after a 34-26 home loss to Louisville, and Brown said the Orange believe they are nearing their best stretch.
"We're going to go down to UNC and play our hearts out and I'm excited about the opportunity we have -- the team is starting to peak," Brown said. "I feel like we're going to truly peak right now and I'm excited about the next six games."
North Carolina is dealing with some injury issues in the backfield. Benjamin Hall left the Duke game after just two carries, while Jaylen McGill, who scored the game-winning touchdown, and Demon June handled the load with 25 combined carries.
Belichick said quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. is not really built to be a main part of the running game, though he does have the freedom to take off and improvise when needed.
Syracuse has been juggling quarterbacks all season, using as many as five and starting three of them because of injuries and other choices. Three different Orange quarterbacks have already thrown for 300 yards in a game, and the latest was Malachi Nelson, who did it in Saturday night’s loss to Louisville.
"We're trying to continue to coach them all the same," Brown said.
No matter which quarterback is under center, Syracuse has a dangerous target in Umari Hatcher. The receiver earned ACC Receiver of the Week honors after piling up 224 receiving yards and a touchdown against Louisville.
In Other News...
UNC Recruiting Push Could Spark Something Huge For Tar Heels Fans
North Carolinas recruiting momentum could get a major lift later this month, with five-star prospect DeMarcus Henry set to visit Chapel Hill on October 24 before making his decision on October 30. Henry is one of the biggest names in the 2027 class, and the fact that he is from North Carolina only adds to the intrigue for a program trying to build around homegrown talent under first-year coach Michael Malone.
Henrys choice may carry even more weight because it could help shape the thinking of fellow highly regarded in-state recruit CJ Rosser, who has also been tied to North Carolina. If the Tar Heels can land both players, it would give Malones first recruiting cycle an early boost and send a clear message about what his staff can sell on the trail. [Read more 🡒]
Peyton Seelmann Just Gave UNC A New Defensive Reason For Hope
Peyton Seelmann gave North Carolina exactly the kind of defensive spark it needed in a tight win over Duke, earning ACC Linebacker of the Week honors after the Tar Heels held on for a 24-20 victory. Seelmann was everywhere in that rivalry game, piling up a game-high 16 tackles with seven solo stops, plus a half-tackle for loss, a half-sack and a quarterback hurry.
What made the performance stand out most was when it happened. Seelmanns work in the second half, especially down the stretch in the fourth quarter, helped steady a UNC defense that needed stops to finish the job, and it offered a timely reminder that the Tar Heels may have found a more reliable presence in the middle of the field. For a team looking for answers on that side of the ball, nights like this are the kind that can change the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Enters Michael Malone Era With Something To Prove Fast
North Carolina is headed into the 2026-27 season with a different kind of pressure on its shoulders. For the first time in 21 years, the Tar Heels will open unranked in both the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and the AP Top 25, a sharp reminder of how much has changed as Michael Malone takes over a roster that features 11 newcomers and very little margin for a slow start.
There is still enough here to suggest the Tar Heels wont be easy to pin down early, especially with key returners and what looks like a strong backcourt. But the questions are obvious, and they go beyond the ranking. Can Malone quickly sort out the pieces, clean up issues like rebounding, and turn a team with so much turnover into one that looks the part fast enough to matter? [Read more 🡒]