UNC Football's Preseason Expectations Will Not Give Fans Hope

Here is where the Tar Heels were ranked in the ACC heading into the 2026-27 college football season.

Oct 31, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick looks to the clock in the fourth quarter game against the Syracuse Orange at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's been two weeks since the North Carolina Tar Heels took the podium at the ACC Kickoff event, previewing the 2026-27 college football season.

While the vibes were overall positive among head coach Bill Belichick and a few selected players during this event, the ACC media took a poll of how they project the conference to unfold this season.  After a vote of 188 members, North Carolina was picked to finish 15th in the ACC. Before we react to that, here is what wide receiver Jordan Shipp said about the team's mindset heading into training camp and the regular season.

Shipp's Thoughts

Jul 17, 2026; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina wide reciever Jordan Shipp, talks with the media during interviews at Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

• "Of course, there are some things we did good last year, but we’re not trying to hone on that," Shipp said. "We want to flush it all. It’s a new start. We’re worried about what can we do to be better this year? What can we do to win the day-to-day? What can we do — today is an off day, but what are you going to do to get better for the next day we work out? Are you going to do recovery, go get treatment? What are you going to do?"

• "In terms of frustrations, nobody likes to lose. I wasn’t the only one frustrated. Everybody was frustrated, but we understood that those frustrations needed to be pointed in the right direction. Us sitting in the locker room pointing fingers, that’s not going to help us go anywhere."

• "We all had to rally against each other - or rally with each other because it seemed like everybody was kind of against us. Everybody wanting to see Coach Belichick fail. Nobody wanting to see him be successful in his first year of college football. Nobody wanted to see that."

Takeaways From UNC's ACC Ranking

Oct 25, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick with the team before the game at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Quite frankly, the results of this poll aren't surprising at all. At no point last season did North Carolina demonstrate any positive signs that Belichick was moving this program in the right direction. Additionally, this poll was conducted before news broke that general manager Michael Lombardi was placed on paid administrative leave, effective immediately.

If these voters knew that information, there is a legitimate chance the Tar Heels could slide down a spot in the preseason rankings. North Carolina is listed only above Boston College and Stanford. Again, based on last season, the Tar Heels don't deserve to be viewed as one of the conference's competent teams, but the fact that qualified members of the media view Syracuse, California, and Wake Forest as better programs is significantly alarming.

Another reason North Carolina's ranking makes sense is that the quarterback position isn't solidified heading into training camp. Additionally, the options are uninspiring, with Billy Edwards Jr. and Miles O'Neill presumably leading the way atop the quarterback depth chart. Both players lack experience, and neither has proven they are starting-caliber quarterbacks. The Tar Heels will open the season with one of them or Travis Burgess as the starting quarterback, which is problematic.

If the Tar Heels finish remotely close to these preseason projections, Belichick will undoubtedly exit Chapel Hill after two disastrous seasons.