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Tar Heel Nation Excited As Belichick Earns First Signature Win

Here is how social media reacted to the Tar Heels' performance on Saturday.
Logan Lazarczyk|
Aug 29, 2026; Dublin, Co. Dublin, IRL; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) hands off the ball to running back Benjamin Hall (7) in the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Aviva Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Laszlo Geczo-Imagn Images
Aug 29, 2026; Dublin, Co. Dublin, IRL; North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) hands off the ball to running back Benjamin Hall (7) in the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Aviva Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Laszlo Geczo-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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North Carolina Tar Heels

The North Carolina Tar Heels opened up their long-awaited 2026-27 college football season on Saturday against TCU in Dublin, Ireland.

With head coach Bill Belichick entering this season on the hot seat, the pressure was immensely high for the Tar Heels to deliver right away. Here is how social media reacted to North Carolina's 15-10 win over TCU.

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Aug 29, 2026; Dublin, Co. Dublin, IRL; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick stands on the sidleline against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first half at Aviva Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Laszlo Geczo-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Promising First Drive

North Carolina's offense looked organized on the opening drive, conducting a 10-play, 73-yard drive that came just short of a touchdown. I've been critical of Billy Edwards Jr. throughout the offseason. However, he looked incredibly poised on the first drive, completing 3-of-5 passes for 64 yards, including two completions to tight end Jelani Thurman for 55 yards. The Tar Heels would settle for a field goal from the two-yard line.

North Carolina's Run Defense Getting Gashed

Through TCU's first two drives of the game, running backs Jeremy Payne and Jon Denman had combined for 67 yards and one touchdown on six attempts. It goes without saying that the Tar Heels can't afford that to be a common theme this season.

Melkart Abou Jaoude Injury

To make matters worse, Abou Jaoude was rolled up on during North Carolina's second defensive drive. The star pass rusher left the field and headed to the locker room.

Abou Jaoude was listed as questionable to return with a hand injury, but was back on the field to start the second quarter.

Gutsy Fourth-Down Conversion Leads To Touchdown

North Carolina ran on third-and-13 from TCU's 33-yard line, and instead of settling for a field goal, Bill Belichick kept the offense on the field. Edwards Jr. delivered an 18-yard strike to Jordan Shipp, followed by a nine-yard touchdown run by Jaylen McGill.

Trech Kekahuna's Costly Fumble

After taking a 12-10 lead following an unorthodox safety, the Tar Heels were in a great position to take control of the game. North Carolina was driving near midfield, and Edwards Jr. found Trech Kekahuna underneath for a modest gain, but the wide receiver coughed up the ball after a hard hit, flipping the momentum.

Abou Jaoude Creates Turnover on Sack

The star pass rusher flew right by his assignment and sacked quarterback Jaden Craig, forcing a fumble that Jaylen Harvey recovered. It was another example of how impactful Abou Jaoude is to this defense. Despite having a short field, North Carolina would settle for another field goal, extending the lead to 15-10.

North Carolina's Defense Delivers Stop After Turnover

North Carolina's defensive line was beginning to impose its will on TCU, but the offense continued to struggle. Deep in their own territory, the Tar Heels were desperate to generate any glimpse of offense. Following an impressive first-down run by Benjamin Hall, the redshirt junior running back had the ball punched out, giving the Horned Frogs the ball on North Carolina's 24-yard line.

Fortunately, North Carolina would deliver with a stop on fourth-and-1, stuffing Payne behind the line of scrimmage. The Tar Heels still led 15-10.

Missed Opportunity for the Tar Heels

It was an impressive five-minute drive from North Carolina's offense, eating the first three minutes of the fourth quarter off the clock. With a five-point lead and in the red zone, the Tar Heels had an opportunity to tighten their grip on the game. On third-and-14, Edwards Jr. had Shipp open down the right sideline for a touchdown, but overthrew the star receiver. North Carolina was forced to settle for a 42-yard field goal. However, Aeron Burrell sailed the kick wide right.

Defense Makes Another Stand

TCU milked more than seven minutes off the clock and was presented with another fourth-and-short deep in North Carolina's territory. Similar to the first instance in the third quarter, the Tar Heels' defense forced a turnover on downs when Craig missed an open Jeremy Scott in the end zone.

Bill Belichick Celebrates First Down to Clinch Win

The Tar Heels successfully got TCU to jump offside on fourth-and-one to clinch the victory. It's safe to say that the 74-year-old head coach was excited.

Belichick has faced nothing but criticism over the last year, and he has now earned his first signature win as the head coach of the Tar Heels.

Tar Heel Nation will enjoy this win, and hopefully Belichick can lead UNC to a successful 2026 campaign. This is a fantastic start.

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Logan Lazarczyk
LOGAN LAZARCZYK

Logan Lazarczyk is a graduate of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies with an emphasis in Journalism. Logan joined our team with extensive experience, having previously written and worked for media entities such as USA Today and Union Broadcasting.