3 Things UNC Learned About ACC Opponents from Week 1

It's been a whirlwind of a week for the North Carolina Tar Heels football program, which initially was riding high after defeating TCU last weekend.

That all came crashing down on Thursday, general manager Michael Lombardi resigned amid an investigation after being named in a complaint by a former employee. Then, defensive coordinator Steve Belichick was involved in a different investigation. Luckily for North Carolina, it didn't have to deal with those off-field distractions and play a game this weekend. While the Tar Heels didn't suit up, they did gain intel on the rest of the ACC. Here is a look at those insights.

Duke's Limited Offense

Sep 5, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarter back Walker Eget (2) hands the ball off to Duke Blue Devils running back Nate Sheppard (20) during the second quarter against the Tulane Green Wave at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was obvious that the Blue Devils would take a step back offensively this season after losing Darian Mensah and Cooper Barkate to Miami. However, there was buzz around former San Jose State quarterback Walker Eget, who transferred to Duke this offseason.

It's safe to say that Eget was pedestrian in his Blue Devil debut, completing 13-of-26 passes for 131 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions. Running back Nick Sheppard was outstanding, rushing for 227 yards on 35 carries. Other than that, Duke's offense was non-threatening, and that's not a good sign when it struggled that much against Tulane.

Clemson May Be Worse Than We Thought

Sep 5, 2026; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney looks on against LSU Tigers during the second half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tigers opened their season in Death Valley against LSU in a highly anticipated matchup on Saturday night. It goes without saying that it didn't live up to the hype, as LSU dismantled Clemson 51-10. While the result of the game speaks for itself, some developments really showed where Dabo Swinney's team currently stands.

North Carolina begins its conference play against Clemson on Sept. 19, and based on what the Tigers' quarterback room portrayed this past weekend, head coach Bill Belichick has to feel better about the Tar Heels' chances of defeating Clemson. Christopher Vizzina completed 10-of-16 passes for 83 yards and one interception. Tait Reynolds came in, completing 4-of-6 passes for 22 yards. Obviously, LSU is on a different level than North Carolina, but Clemson could be in for a rough 2026.

Miami Will Steamroll Through ACC

Sep 4, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; The Miami Hurricanes huddle against the Stanford Cardinal during the third quarter at Stanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It was only one game, but the Hurricanes already look like a juggernaut. The aforementioned Mensah completed 27-of-30 passes for 401 yards and five touchdowns in the 45-6 win over Stanford. Malachi Toney accounted for the majority of that passing output, securing 12 receptions for 234 yards and three touchdowns.

Miami was a finalist in the national championship game last season, losing to the Indiana Hoosiers and eventual No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. With Mensah at quarterback, the Hurricanes may be even better this season. It was already a long shot for North Carolina to compete with Miami when the two face off on Oct. 31, but you should pencil that in as a loss for the Tar Heels.

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