UNC’s trip to Dublin is finally here, and the Tar Heels are heading into Week 0 with plenty of familiar baggage and a new quarterback under center.
North Carolina has wrapped preseason camp and shifted fully into game-week mode for Saturday’s matchup with TCU at Aviva Stadium in Ireland. Kickoff is set for noon ET, which is 5 p.m. local time, and the game will be televised on ESPN. Most major sportsbooks list TCU as a 7.5-point favorite.
The Tar Heels have settled back into their in-season rhythm since classes began a week ago, with afternoon practices replacing the morning work of camp. That routine won’t last long this week. UNC is scheduled to leave Wednesday night, arrive in Dublin around 9 a.m. local time, and then hear from Bill Belichick about three hours later before heading to practice.
There’s also the matter of last year’s meeting with the Horned Frogs, and that memory is still very much alive inside the program. In Belichick’s first college game, North Carolina jumped out to a 7-0 lead at Kenan Stadium after Gio Lopez led a touchdown drive on the opening possession. The early energy around the stadium was unmistakable, but TCU took over from there and rolled to a 48-14 win over the final three quarters.
Even with 60 new players on the roster, the Tar Heels haven’t escaped that result. The veterans who were part of it haven’t forgotten, either.
"They definitely talk to me about it all the time," said wide receiver Mason Humphrey, who transferred in this offseason from Lehigh. "They definitely have a lot of bad blood in their mouth still from last year. They were just telling me to get on the train before it leaves."
This rematch will look different at quarterback for both sides. Lopez is now starting at Wake Forest, and former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover will start at Indiana.
For UNC, Wisconsin transfer Billy Edwards Jr. gets the nod after beating out Texas A&M transfer Miles O'Neill in a tight competition. Edwards has played nearly 1,000 quarterback snaps at the Power Conference level over his four-year college career, including 744 last season at Maryland. He started 11 games for the Terrapins in 2024, finishing second in the Big Ten with 261.9 passing yards per game and fourth with 273 completions.
TCU will counter with Harvard transfer Jaden Craig, who has drawn strong reviews during camp in Fort Worth. Craig threw for 2,869 yards, 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions at Harvard last season. In 2024, he totaled 2,430 yards, 23 touchdowns and only three interceptions.
In Other News...
UNC Fans Just Got A Reminder Of Max Johnsons Unfinished Story
Max Johnsons college football journey is still going, and for UNC fans it now has another chapter attached to it. The former Tar Heels quarterback has been named the starter at Georgia Southern as he heads into his seventh collegiate season, a reminder of just how long his career has stretched across LSU, Texas A&M and Chapel Hill.
Johnsons path has been shaped as much by persistence as by the schools on his resume. After suffering a severe leg injury in 2024 and going through multiple surgeries, he was granted an extra year of eligibility and made it back onto the field in 2025, leaving his story open in a way that still invites attention from every stop along the way. [Read more 🡒]
Isaiah Denis Suddenly Has A Real Chance To Matter For UNC
Isaiah Denis looked like one of the more likely Tar Heels to test the transfer market when Hubert Davis was fired, but the returning sophomore guard ended up staying put after conversations with new head coach Michael Malone. That decision keeps Denis in Chapel Hill, where he arrives with limited college playing time behind him but a chance to carve out a more useful role than he had a season ago.
Malone's staff is expected to value depth and defensive versatility, two things that could open the door for Denis if he can earn trust early. For a roster still taking shape under a new coach, even a player who once seemed buried on the depth chart can matter quickly, and Denis now has a real opportunity to become part of the rotation in the months ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Bill Belichick Already Faces Early Pressure In UNC's Dublin Opener
Bill Belichicks first season at North Carolina brought plenty of attention, but not nearly enough wins to quiet the noise around the program. The Tar Heels finished 4-8, and the offseason has not exactly offered a clean reset, with the program still dealing with an HR investigation involving general manager Michael Lombardi, who is currently on administrative leave.
Now the second season begins in Dublin, Ireland, a setting that adds another layer of scrutiny to a team already carrying pressure into the opener. North Carolina is trying to change the conversation right away, but the history of teams who have traveled there has not been encouraging, with several returning home to rough follow-up seasons. For Belichick and the Tar Heels, the first step of Year 2 already feels like more than just a season opener. [Read more 🡒]