After a rocky debut season under Bill Belichick, North Carolina football is turning the page - and if the 2026 recruiting class is any indication, the Tar Heels are gearing up for a serious rebound. With the full schedule now out, there’s a growing sense around Chapel Hill that better days are on the horizon.
The 2026 slate dropped Monday night, and while the usual excitement followed - fans circling key matchups, planning road trips, and counting down to kickoff - there was also some unexpected noise online. A few detractors took issue with the fact that all of UNC’s games are scheduled for Saturdays.
No Thursday night lights, no Friday primetime. Just old-school, Saturday football.
Let’s be real - that’s not exactly a scandal.
If anything, it’s a throwback to what college football has always been about: Saturdays packed with rivalries, tailgates, and tradition. The criticism feels more like a reach than a real gripe.
Sure, other programs - like Miami, who drew four non-Saturday games including three in the first three weeks - might have a legitimate reason to be frustrated. That’s a tough draw, no question.
But UNC didn’t make the schedule, and there’s no reason to think they were handed any special favors.
What matters most for the Tar Heels right now isn’t what day of the week they’re playing - it’s how they’re preparing to bounce back after a disappointing 2025. Belichick’s first season didn’t meet expectations, but the pieces are starting to come together for a turnaround. The 2026 recruiting class has injected fresh talent and optimism into the program, and now it’s on the coaching staff to translate that into results on the field.
One of the biggest storylines heading into spring ball will be the quarterback competition. Billy Edwards, the Wisconsin transfer, is expected to make a serious push for the starting job.
He brings experience and a competitive edge that could shake things up in the QB room. All eyes will be on how he meshes with the offense and whether he can emerge as a leader in what’s shaping up to be a pivotal offseason.
Meanwhile, the Tar Heels will be grinding through winter workouts, trying to build the kind of physicality and discipline that Belichick’s teams have long been known for. The memory of last season’s struggles is still fresh, but so is the opportunity to rewrite the narrative. With a favorable schedule, a reloaded roster, and a full offseason under Belichick’s system, UNC has the tools to take a step forward.
Ignore the noise about the schedule. Saturdays in Chapel Hill are back - and this fall, they just might mean something again.