North Carolina, Bill Belichick Making Major Change to UNC Tar Heels Playing Surface

Chapel Hill's Kenan Stadium will return to a natural grass field in 2025.

Belichick's Tar Heels will play on natural grass in 2025. | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The North Carolina Tar Heels are making a significant change to their playing surface ahead of the 2025 season.

In consultation with new head coach Bill Belichick, Chapel Hill's Kenan Stadium will return to a natural grass field in 2025, the UNC athletic department announced in a press release on Monday. They had been playing on a synthetic turf surface since 2020.

"With our current turf reaching the end of its lifespan, the timing made sense to return Kenan Stadium to its natural grass roots," Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham said in a statement. "Our staff takes great pride in maintaining a top-tier field that reflects the excellence of UNC Football, and we look forward to cheering on the team as it competes on a world-class natural grass surface next season."

It’s natural. Kenan will be back to grass in 2025. https://t.co/Dy8ouQ4Qhm

— Carolina Football (@UNCFootball) January 27, 2025

“The decision to convert back to grass was made in consultation with new Carolina Head Football Coach Bill Belichick," the release also stated, “with the best experience for the program in mind."

The project is expected to last 12 weeks.

After spending 29 seasons as an NFL head coach, Belichick was hired to lead the Tar Heels this past December. The 72-year-old has been hard at work both recruiting and building a super-staff—and will make his NCAA coaching debut in primetime.

On their new grass surface, UNC will host the TCU Horned Frogs on Monday, September 1. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. EST and air on ESPN.

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