UNC's Belichick Resets Narrative Against TCU: Biggest Winners & Losers

We finally got to see what the North Carolina Tar Heels have in store for the 2026-27 college football season, as they opened their season on Saturday in Dublin, Ireland, against the TCU Horned Frogs.

North Carolina left the game victorious, 15-10. With that said, we're going to get straight to the point and discuss the winners and losers from the Tar Heels' perspective.

Winners

Bill Belichick

The 74-year-old head coach needed his team to win this game, no matter how it looked. It was ugly, but starting out with a victory in the season opener was crucial.

North Carolina needs to fix several things, but a win is a win. No one on the Tar Heels' coaching staff will care how this game unfolded.

Bobby Petrino

Yes, North Carolina's offense stalled after the first quarter, but the weather was a major factor. That being said, it was apparent from the get-go that this offense is light-years ahead of where it was last season. Part of that is personnel, but Petrino's philosophies and scheme were on full display throughout the game.

In normal conditions, this offense would have been much more productive. Overall, the offense's operation was very impressive. Unlike last season, this unit should be formidable enough to hold its own.

Jelani Thurman

Oct 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; A detailed view of a North Carolina Tar Heels helmet on the field before a game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The former Ohio State tight end took advantage of the opportunity, recording four receptions for 94 yards. The bulk of his production came on the first drive, but the 6-foot-6, 245-pound tight end certainly looked like the safety blanket for Billy Edwards Jr.

Thurman's role in this offense should continue to grow as the season progresses, and we saw a glimpse of that with Petrino dialing up multiple screens to Thurman.

North Carolina's Defense

Aug 29, 2026; Dublin, Co. Dublin, IRL; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Jaden Craig (1) breaks the tackle of North Carolina Tar Heels defensive lineman Jaylen Harvey (11) in the first half at Aviva Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Laszlo Geczo-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tar Heels were gashed on the ground, allowing Jeremy Payne to rush for 142 yards on 25 carries, but considering defensive coordinator Steve Belichick was unavailable, this was a stout performance.

There are certainly glaring red flags with this run defense, but again, the circumstances weren't ideal for North Carolina's overall unit.

Billy Edwards Jr.

Edwards Jr. was in store for a much bigger outing after completing 6-of-10 passes for 122 yards in the first quarter. However, his efficiency decreased in the final three quarters, as he completed 10-of-18 passes during that span.

Nevertheless, the Wisconsin transfer managed the game and led North Carolina to a win in poor weather.

Jordan Shipp

The veteran wide receiver was his normal self on Saturday, catching five passes for 71 yards. His day could have been much better if Edwards Jr. hadn't missed him on an open touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Shipp has been one of the Tar Heels' most consistent players in recent memory, and he will continue to be that for an offense that showed plenty of positives but is still a work in progress.

Losers

Demon June

Throughout the offseason program, June appeared poised for a large role in the offense. In fact, the 5-foot-11, 215-pound running back was in heavy contention for the RB1 spot.

Well, the sophomore running back didn't see his first carry until the fourth quarter. However, he totaled 25 yards on six carries. Nevertheless, it appears that he might be the third running back on the depth chart behind Benjamin Hall and Jaylen McGill.

Benjamin Hall

We'll continue with the running back theme. Quite frankly, I wasn't impressed with the veteran running back. Hall recorded 36 yards on 11 carries while coughing up a fumble.

Luckily for Hall, the defense delivered with a fourth-down stop that kept the Tar Heels in the lead. The field conditions were subpar due to the rain, but Hall needs to be better.

Trech Kekahuna

When assessing the stat line, Kekahuna had a modest performance, with three receptions for 38 yards, which was the third-most on the team. However, he also fumbled the ball, and his snap count dwindled from that point on.

We saw CJ Sadler on the field for meaningful snaps late in the game as North Carolina tried to close the game out.

Mason Humphrey

This was most likely a product of the weather, as Humphrey is a deep threat, but the Lehigh transfer recorded one reception for 11 yards. It is disappointing considering how dominant Humphrey had been in training camp.

I'm not overly concerned about his outing from Humphrey. The weather didn't do either team any favors, especially in the second half, as the rain picked up. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound receiver will have better days ahead.

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