North Carolina’s first two games under Bill Belichick have given the Tar Heels something they’ve been missing: real momentum. After the 35-3 win over ETSU, UNC is 2-0 for the first time in the Belichick era, and the early returns have plenty of people wondering how high this team can climb as the season goes on.
That optimism is carrying straight into Week 3, where Clemson awaits in Death Valley. And while the Tigers still have more talent on paper, they’ve looked shaky enough to make this feel like a live upset spot for North Carolina. The belief around the Tar Heels is growing, and the idea of UNC beating Clemson on the road does not sound far-fetched.
Clemson, frankly, has not looked like Clemson. The Tigers needed to scrape by Georgia Southern after getting blasted 51-10 by LSU in Baton Rouge, and this is being described as Dabo Swinney’s worst team since his first season leading the program. For a school that spent much of the 2010s among the sport’s elite, that decline says plenty about how far things have slipped, and the criticism has landed on Swinney’s refusal to adapt to the modern game.
North Carolina, by contrast, has been moving forward. The Tar Heels have the resources to chase bigger names if Belichick turns this into a successful run, and the coach’s own stature should only help with that. Clemson, the argument goes, has not done nearly enough with the transfer portal or NIL despite having the kind of brand and history that should make those tools easier to use.
On the field, UNC has some clear paths to making this interesting. The Tar Heels’ defensive front can create trouble for Clemson’s offensive line, which has not exactly been convincing.
Their secondary also has the kind of talent that could make life difficult for a true freshman quarterback like Tait Reynolds. On offense, North Carolina has enough explosive weapons to challenge Clemson’s defensive backs, and the interior line has the ability to move people on dive, wham, and trap looks.
Jelani Thurman is another name Clemson has to account for. He’s emerging fast as one of the top tight ends in the country after two weeks and leads North Carolina in receiving yards.
Belichick and Swinney meeting again could look very different from last season, when Clemson rolled over North Carolina at Keenan Stadium. If the Tar Heels can leave Death Valley 3-0, it would send a real message before their upcoming matchup with Notre Dame.
In Other News...
Bill Belichicks UNC Defense Is Becoming The Teams Early Story
North Carolinas win over ETSU was never really in doubt, and the biggest reason was the same one that has started to define the Tar Heels early on: a defense that keeps tightening its grip as the season opens. UNC rolled to a 35-3 victory while allowing ETSU to break through only late, after the Tar Heels had strung together 15 opposing possessions without giving up a score. It was another step forward for a unit that looked sharp again after its strong outing against TCU.
The pressure came from everywhere for Bill Belichicks group, which finished with seven sacks and forced multiple turnovers even without top defensive player Melkhart Abou Jaoude available. That kind of depth matters in September, especially when a defense is already showing the ability to carry stretches of a game on its own. For North Carolina, the bigger question now is not whether the defense has arrived, but how far this early momentum can go. [Read more 🡒]
Belichicks UNC Rotation Just Sent An Early Message Before Conference Play
North Carolinas 35-3 win over East Tennessee State pushed the Tar Heels to 2-0, but the more revealing part of the afternoon came in how Bill Belichick chose to use his roster. After Kekahunas turnover, Sadler saw a bigger role at slot receiver, while the backfield was spread more evenly between Demon June, Benjamin Hall and Jaylen McGill, giving the offense a more deliberate, rotating feel as conference play gets closer.
On the other side of the ball, North Carolina also took a cautious approach with injured pass rusher Abou Jaoude, sitting him out as a precaution. His status moving forward is still uncertain, which leaves a small but meaningful question hanging over a defense that has already shown it will manage personnel as carefully as results. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Basketball Just Showed Why This Program Means More Than Wins
Carmichael Arena turned into more than a basketball venue this weekend as North Carolina hosted the fifth annual Dribble for Victory Over Cancer, an event that brought together the UNC mens and womens teams, other athletic programs and community members in support of cancer research. The day mixed basketball with purpose, starting with a session on the court before shifting into a one-mile walk around campus, all while coaches Courtney Banghart and Michael Malone welcomed a crowd united by the cause.
The event raised more than $143,000, but the number only tells part of the story. Several players shared personal connections to cancer, underscoring why the gathering has become such a meaningful annual tradition for the program and the wider UNC community, with the events emotional weight carrying well beyond the floor at Carmichael. [Read more 🡒]