North Carolina opens the season on Saturday against TCU, and the Tar Heels walk into it carrying plenty of questions after last year’s 48-14 loss in the matchup. With Bill Belichick under pressure to show progress and a revamped offense now in place under coordinator Bobby Petrino, this opener feels like a real checkpoint for where the program stands.
A lot of the attention is going to land on North Carolina’s offense, because that side of the ball has to look functional right away if the Tar Heels want any momentum heading into a road trip to Clemson in three weeks. That makes this a useful game to keep an eye on a few specific players who could shape how Saturday goes.
The first is quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., who is set to make his first start for North Carolina. His role became even more important after a tight battle in fall camp, including a late push from former Texas A&M backup Miles O'Neill. What matters most here is how Edwards runs the offense and whether he can get the ball to the Tar Heels’ best playmakers without the unit bogging down.
Up front, there’s also plenty riding on the return of Kelly. After missing much of the 2025 season, he comes back as one of the leaders on offense, and his first test is a tough one against a TCU defensive front that could make life difficult for a line with new starters. When Kelly is healthy, he’s one of the most consistent players on the field, and North Carolina needs that steadiness to help with communication, discipline and giving Edwards time to throw.
Another name worth watching is running back McGill, even if the path to carries is crowded. He sits behind a deep backfield that includes the Tar Heels’ top two rushers, Demon June and Benjamin Hall, so his biggest immediate impact may come on special teams, where North Carolina is hoping for improvement. Still, if McGill gets chances with the ball, he has the kind of talent that can turn those touches into impact plays.
On the defensive side, North Carolina has to be sturdier against the run after TCU gashed it for 258 yards on the ground in 2025. Jackson will be a big part of that effort as he enters his redshirt sophomore season looking for a jump forward. If he shows real growth, that could go a long way toward cleaning up the Tar Heels’ run defense and gap discipline.
Then there’s Jelani Thurman, who finally gets a chance to be North Carolina’s starting tight end after arriving as a highly regarded recruit a few high school classes ago. The ceiling here is obvious.
Thurman has the chance to be more than just a useful pass-catcher and blocker in Petrino’s offense; the source material points to him as someone with the talent to become one of the best tight ends in the country. Saturday should be the first real look at how he fits into that role.
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 🡒]