TCU and North Carolina open the season with plenty of moving parts and a familiar name in the middle of it all.
A year ago, the Horned Frogs walked into Chapel Hill and left with a 48-14 win that set the tone for a rough UNC season. The Tar Heels finished 5-7 and missed a bowl game in Belichick’s debut season, which pushed North Carolina into changes on offense. Freddie Kitchens is out, Bobby Petrino is in, and the pressure is already there before the first snap.
The challenge on the schedule is obvious. North Carolina has a brutal slate ahead, with home games against No.
4 Notre Dame, No. 7 Miami, and No.24 Louisville, plus trips to Clemson, Pitt, Duke, and Virginia.
That leaves little room for the Tar Heels to collect wins early if things start slowly again.
TCU comes into this one with its own unfinished business. The Frogs spoiled Bill Belichick’s debut last season, then saw their 2025 campaign slip away before they could reach the Big 12 Championship game.
Sonny Dykes has bigger expectations this time around, but the early stretch has been the problem. This game, a zero matchup, carries real weight for that reason.
The quarterback matchup brings even more intrigue. Jaden Craig will lead TCU after transferring from Harvard, where he spent two seasons as the Crimson’s starter.
On the other side, North Carolina announced last week that Billy Edwards Jr. had won the starting job. Edwards, a sixth-year senior, transferred from Wisconsin after his 2025 season ended early because of an injury.
There are fresh faces calling plays, too. Petrino takes over as North Carolina’s offensive coordinator, while Gordon Sammis steps in for TCU.
Both staffs are expected to lean on the run game, which makes sense considering both offenses ranked in the nineties nationally. The question is whether either side asks its quarterback to do too much, or whether the skill talent gets used to lighten the load.
The betting line tells part of the story as well. Last year, TCU went to Chapel Hill as a -3.5 favorite and covered with ease.
This time, the game shifts to an international neutral site, and the Frogs are still favored, listed at -7.5 by DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under sits at 47.5.
It adds up to one of the first college football games of the season with a lot to sort out quickly. Both teams are trying to answer questions, and Dublin gives them a stage to do it.
For TCU, a win would mean more than a strong overseas trip. It would be an early step toward showing this group can contend in the Big 12.
In Other News...
UNC Quarterback Battle Is Raising Awkward Questions About Michael Lombardi
Bill Belichick used his coach show to address the quarterback competition, and the picture he painted was already telling. Miles ONeill and Billy Edwards were named as the primary contenders to open the season, while Travis Burgess was singled out for his progress, a sign that the depth chart is starting to take shape as UNC sorts out the most important position on the field.
What stood out just as much was who was not part of the conversation. AuTori Newkirk, a quarterback recruited by GM Michael Lombardi, was not mentioned and has slipped to fourth string behind the newer additions, a development that only adds to the scrutiny around Lombardis evaluation of the position. With Gio Lopez and Ryan Browne also part of the broader quarterback picture, the issue has become less about sheer numbers and more about whether UNCs decision-making at the spot has helped or hurt the program. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Heads Into Opener With A Staff Uncertainty It Can't Ignore
North Carolina enters the final stretch before its opener with an unusual bit of uncertainty hanging over the staff. Defensive coordinator Steve Belichick has been on medical leave since early training camp and has now been away from the team for nearly a month, leaving the Tar Heels to keep moving forward without one of the key voices on that side of the ball.
Bill Belichick said there has been no change in Steve Belichicks status, which makes his availability for the TCU game unclear at best. The timing is less than ideal for a team already dealing with another off-field complication, with general manager Michael Lombardi also on paid administrative leave as North Carolina tries to settle in before the season begins. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Defense Has One Chance To Answer Last Year's TCU Humbling
Last seasons Week 1 loss to TCU still hangs over North Carolinas defense, and the rematch in Ireland gives the Tar Heels a chance to answer for it. One of the more intriguing names in that equation is safety Peyton Waters, who played only limited snaps a year ago but now looks positioned for a much bigger role as the No. 2 strong safety behind Greg Smith.
For UNC, this is more than just an early-season test on a big stage. The Tar Heels have reportedly carried the memory of that defeat through their preparation, and the defense in particular has plenty to prove after the way TCU exposed them last time around. Waters expanded role adds another layer of interest, because Carolina will need more reliable play from the back end if it wants this rematch to look different. [Read more 🡒]