UNC wasted no time showing off a different look on the first drive of the 2026 season.
After TCU won the toss and deferred to the second half, the Tar Heels got the ball first and immediately turned to Billy Edwards Jr., the Wisconsin transfer, with Bobby Petrino calling the shots as offensive coordinator. The plan was clear from the start: get Edwards comfortable and let the new offense settle in early.
It started with a play-action throw on the opening snap, and Edwards hit tight end Jelani Thurman for a 20-yard gain. Not long after, he went back to Thurman, this time fitting a pass into the middle of the field for 35 yards and pushing UNC into the red zone.
The drive stalled there. On third and goal from the two-yard line, the Tar Heels couldn’t punch it in and had to settle for a field goal.
Still, UNC came away with points on its first possession of the year, and that alone offered an encouraging first glimpse of the offense. It wasn’t a touchdown, but the early movement and the creativity on display suggested something different from what Tar Heel fans saw a year ago.
The bigger picture won’t be written by one drive, of course. But for UNC, opening the season with a scoring march was a solid start, and it gave the Tar Heels something to build on as they moved deeper into the matchup with TCU and into the rest of 2026.
In Other News...
UNC Just Got A Huge Break In One Key TCU Matchup
North Carolinas season opener in Ireland just got a little easier to game-plan for, as TCU will be without its leading returning receiver, Jordan Dwyer, when the two teams meet to open 2026. Dwyer traveled with the Horned Frogs, but a foot injury has ruled him out of the matchup, removing one of TCUs most established pass-catching options before the first snap.
The Tar Heels are still preparing for a Power Four test in a game with plenty of early-season intrigue, but losing Dwyer changes the complexion of a key part of the matchup. TCU will also be missing defensive lineman Zach Chapman because of injury, leaving both sides to adjust before a game that already carried a bit of added attention on an international stage. [Read more 🡒]
North Carolina Just Caught A Break In Its Week 0 Opener
TCUs preparations for its Week 0 meeting with North Carolina in Dublin took a hit with the news that leading returning receiver Jordan Dwyer will be unavailable because of a foot injury. Dwyer still traveled with the team, but he will be inactive for the game, removing one of the Horned Frogs most established options from an opener that already carries plenty of uncertainty.
For North Carolina, it is at least a small early break in a matchup that will still ask plenty of its defense. Jaden Craig is set for his first FBS start without Dwyer available, which puts more of the burden on the rest of TCUs receiving group to settle in quickly, including Ed Small and Jeremy Scott, as the Horned Frogs try to sort out their offense on an overseas stage. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Just Made A Staff Move That Says Plenty About Its Momentum
Noah Goldmans rise at North Carolina picked up another step this week, with head coach Andrew DiBitetto promoting him to associate head coach of the Tar Heels mens golf program. Goldman arrived in Chapel Hill in 2023 and has quickly become part of a staff that has helped drive both team success and individual progress, a sign that the programs recent momentum is showing up not just in results, but in the way it is building for the future.
Goldman brings a strong background to the role, including previous coaching stops at Oregon State and a collegiate playing career at Mississippi State. For UNC, the move underscores continuity and confidence in what has been working, with Goldman already tied to multiple team titles and player breakthroughs during his time with the program. [Read more 🡒]