North Carolina is back on the field today after its bye week, and the Tar Heels should be looking to keep the momentum rolling from their season-opening win over TCU in Dublin, Ireland.
That trip overseas is now two weeks in the rearview mirror, and since then there’s been plenty going on away from game action. But after the break following the long road trip, UNC finally gets back to business and starts the next part of Year 2 under Bill Belichick.
The opponent is East Tennessee State, and this one doesn’t look like a game the Heels should have much trouble handling. ETSU plays at the FCS level, went 7-5 last year, and missed the FCS playoffs despite a winning record. The Pirates also got FCS Top 25 votes in the preseason under coach Will Healy, but they’re 1-1 so far and their loss came to Campbell, which is not an FBS team either.
Even before UNC beat TCU, this felt like a game the Tar Heels ought to control. Now, after that opener, the confidence level is even higher.
I went into the season pretty skeptical about where this UNC team was headed, though the TCU result has me feeling a little better about things. I still see the Heels as, at best, a minor bowl game team, but this matchup still feels like one Carolina should handle without much drama.
So, who do I got? North Carolina, comfortably. I’m going with a 38-7 Tar Heels win.
In Other News...
UNC Opens Home Slate With A Worry Fans Will Be Watching
UNCs first home game of the season is already carrying a bit of extra attention, and not just because its the home opener. Melkart Abou Jaoude is not expected to play against ETSU after suffering a hand injury in the Week 0 loss to TCU, a setback that showed up quickly enough for him to be seen wearing a cast afterward. Its the kind of early-season issue that can change how a defense is deployed before the rhythm of the year has even settled in.
The good news for the Tar Heels is that the absence appears short-term, with Abou Jaoude expected to be ready for next weeks ACC opener against Clemson. In the meantime, UNC will turn to other defensive players to cover his spot in the opener, a useful chance to see who can handle a larger role if the rotation has to be adjusted again later. [Read more 🡒]
Tar Heels Face A Huge Recruiting Test In Crowded 2027 Battle
DeMarcus Henry Jr. has already become one of the more closely watched names in the Class of 2027, and North Carolina is in the middle of a crowded race for the highly ranked prospect. The wings strong showings in various events have only sharpened the attention around him, and his recruiting board already includes a deep list of heavyweights such as Arkansas, BYU, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Ohio State and UConn.
His recent visit to UConn is another reminder that this battle is going to be fought everywhere, and the Tar Heels will have to stay aggressive if they want to keep themselves in the mix. North Carolina is also working on the next wave of talent, with Class of 2028 guard Michai White picking up an offer from Syracuse after the Orange visited his school, a small sign of how quickly the recruiting board is expanding around the program. [Read more 🡒]
Tar Heels Face A Real Focus Test In Home Opener
North Carolinas first home game arrives with more attention on the programs off-field turbulence than on the matchup itself, even as the Tar Heels try to settle into a normal game-week rhythm against ETSU. The football side still has to move forward, and that means using the opener to clean up a run game that needs to show more consistency while the staff keeps the focus on Saturday.
Bill Belichick is handling defensive play-calling with Steve Belichick on medical leave, a wrinkle that only adds to the uncertainty around a program already dealing with an investigation and the resignation of general manager Michael Lombardi. For a team trying to establish some early-season calm, the home opener is as much a test of concentration as execution, and North Carolina will have to show it can block out the noise long enough to play its game. [Read more 🡒]