TCU spoils Bill Belichick's college football coaching debut as Horned Frogs rout North Carolina in opener

The Belichick era in Chapel Hill got off to a disastrous start as TCU cruised to an easy win

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- It was close for a quarter before the wheels came off for Bill Belichick's North Carolina Tar Heels. TCU quarterback Josh Hoover threw for 284 yards and two touchdowns, the Horned Frogs rushed for 243 yards and scored twice on defense to highlight Monday night's 48-14 drubbing inside Kenan Stadium.

North Carolina opened the game with an impressive scoring drive, including a pair of nice throws from South Alabama transfer quarterback Gio Lopez, before the rest of the contest was a frustrating effort on that side of the football. Empty possessions, an errant toss that went for points the other ways and multiple fumbles dictated a shaky night for the Tar Heels.

No Belichick-coached team had ever given up 48 points, and it was the most the Tar Heels had allowed in a season opener. It's back to the drawing board for a team filled with newcomers and transfer portal additions, while the Horned Frogs look like a legitimate contender near the top of the Big 12.

Read on below for takeaways from TCU's rout over North Carolina as Sonny Dykes and the Horned Frogs humiliated Bill Belichick in his coaching debut at North Carolina.

[Sep 2, 2025 at 12:06 am ET · Brad Crawford]

Expectations moving forward for TCU, North Carolina

One of several potential contenders in the Big 12, the Horned Frogs returned 16 staters off last season's nine-win team and it showed in the opener. Hoover was efficient under center, TCU ran the football with force and the defense settled down after being put on its heels on the opening possession. TCU won't be ranked in Tuesday's new AP Poll, but the Horned Frogs should receive several votes after this outing. Between Iowa State, Utah, Arizona State, Kansas, Texas Tech and TCU, there's at least a half-dozen teams from the Big 12 who have passed the eye test early.

Too much focus was put on the Tar Heels' favorable slate — by ACC standards — this offseason under the assumption Belichick would be ahead of schedule despite a new staff, new teachings and new players. Pump the breaks a bit on North Carolina being a potential nine-win team. There's a path to six wins, perhaps more, if improvement is made quickly. The Tar Heels travel to Charlotte (0-1) next week before hosting Richmond on Sept. 13. They'll be favored in both despite Monday night's disappointing debut.

[Sep 1, 2025 at 11:59 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

Good vibes torched early

North Carolina fans were champing at the bit to find their seats for Belichick's debut after selling out season tickets earlier this spring in record fashion. Those could likely be found considerably cheaper now on the secondary market after the Tar Heels' unexpected, prime-time face plant those inside the press box were calling one of the ugliest losses they could remember for the program.

For TCU, the Horned Frogs learned from the last time they faced a coach making his debut at his new program. Two years ago, Colorado's Deion Sanders posted a momentum-building win agains the Horned Frogs. Now, this was TCU's turn to, in a way, return the favor in a road setting with most of the nation's eyes on the home team.

Veteran TCU coach Sonny Dykes tried not to make the game bigger than it was because of the guy coaching on the other sideline.

"Never thought I would, no," Dykes said of facing Belichick prior to kickoff. "Just assumed he would aways coach in the NFL and assumed I'd always coach in college, and didn't really consider that possibility. One thing I've learned about college football though is never say never."

[Sep 1, 2025 at 11:47 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

TCU's Bud Clark has Day 1 potential

The Horned Frogs' senior safety had a dazzling play in the second quarter when North Carolina's Gio Lopez telegraphed an out route and Clark jumped it for a touchdown. Lopez's toss was to his receiver's inside shoulder — a definite no-no on the boundary — while Clark did the rest with the interception. He started high-stepping at the 15-yard line and was flagged for the celebration. 

Donning No. 21, Clark's 12th career pick was Deion Sanders-esque. Looking back, Clark was the defensive back who swiped former Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy for a takeaway two years ago in the College Football Playoff. Ohio State's Caleb Downs gets a lot of love in centerfield in 2026 NFL Draft conversations, but Clark could be a Day 1 selection, too.

A game-changing safety can do so many positive things for the rest of your secondary. TCU defensive coordinator Andy Avalos had the best player on the field and showcased Clark's versatility to the extreme on Monday night.

[Sep 1, 2025 at 11:41 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

Post-game scribbles

• Senior North Carolina linebacker Andrew Simpson, a transfer from Boise State, was all over the field in the first half as a noticeable leader on defense, one of the lone bright spots during a frustrating night for the home team. That's a quality ID from the Tar Heels' personnel staff in the portal after he tallied 27 TFLs and 9.5 sacks the last two seasons in the Mountain West. 
  
• The results showed something all too familiar for North Carolina: ongoing defensive woes that still have not been fixed. Coverage went awry at times in 1-on-1 situations, and that's been an area of major weakness in recent years. There's clean-up duty in the tackling department, along with teaching athletes in the secondary to make plays on the ball — and not the opposition — for defensive coordinator Steve Belichick moving forward.
  
• Representatives from the Pop-Tarts Bowl were in attendance keeping an eye on what these two ACC and Big 12 programs have to offer. One of the postseason's top bowls beyond playoff pairings, Pop-Tarts organizers get their preference of top-end ACC and Big 12 finishers once playoff selections are made with heavy influence from ESPN in terms of final pairings. The Tar Heels have much to correct before "bowl eligibility" comes into the picture during what could be a long season for Belichick and Co.
  

[Sep 1, 2025 at 11:38 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

Haunting numbers for North Carolina

After a notable first possession ended in points, the Tar Heels offense never recovered thereafter with only 139 yards of total offense the rest of the way. The rest of the numbers are just as ugly for first-year offensive coordinator Freddie Kitchens, whose pro-style scheme never got going.

• 48 points is the most allowed by Bill Belichick as a head coach
• Most points allowed in a season opener; previous high was 41 against Oklahoma (2001)
• North Carolina's seventh straight loss when committing three or more turnovers
• Quarterback Gio Lopez missed on 6 of his final 8 passes before exiting with a back injury
• Belichick drops to 0-3 in his coaching debuts at various stops

[Sep 1, 2025 at 11:06 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

TCU continues dominant performance

4Q: TCU 48, North Carolina 14

Hoover's second touchdown pass, this one coming with 9:21 remaining in the game, has pushed TCU's point total to 48 inside a nearly empty Kenan Stadium. The Horned Frogs have scored two defensive touchdowns, piled up 495 yards of total offense and have run the Tar Heels off the field with superior efficiency.

[Sep 1, 2025 at 10:34 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

Unexpected for Belichick

The former NFL head coach rarely experienced lopsided losses like this at his previous stop with the New England Patriots. North Carolina will go back to the drawing board after this one following a concoction of mishaps, faulty execution and struggles at the line of scrimmage against a Big 12 foe. This is more than a Week 1 hiccup for Belichick and his first-year staff ... this was a wake-up call.

[Sep 1, 2025 at 10:21 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

North Carolina defense fails to show

3Q: TCU 41, North Carolina 7

The Horned Frogs have pushed their unanswered points streak to 41 here in the third quarter following Trent Battle's 28-yard scoring scamper and another defensive touchdown, this time on a fumble return. Battle ran through a mammoth-sized hole of the left side of the line and outraced a North Carolina safety to the corner for his first score of the season.

[Sep 1, 2025 at 10:02 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

Horned Frogs hit another big play

3Q: TCU 27, UNC 7

Kevorian Barnes took his first carry of the second half 75 yards to the house, silencing what remains of the crowd inside Kenan Stadium during Belichick's debut. Barnes broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage, broke outside and raced the final 60 yards untouched to the end zone.

[Sep 1, 2025 at 9:35 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

TCU with momentum entering halftime

HALF: TCU 20, North Carolina 7

The Horned Frogs have scored 20 unanswered points in Chapel Hill, the big blow coming on a 25-yard interception return for a touchdown late in the second quarter. North Carolina had forced its first takeaway of the season a few plays prior on a Josh Hoover interception before Gio Lopez's ill-fated toss to the boundary was swiped by TCU's roaming safety.

Halftime notes

• TCU safety Bud Clark changed the game and took the juice out of Kenan Stadium with his pick-6 in the second quarter. Clark was the only safety in college football last season with a 90.0+ coverage grade according to PFF and is considered to be one of the 2026 NFL Draft's top prospects at the position behind Ohio State's Caleb Downs.
• Since a touchdown on the opening possession touchdown, the Tar Heels have struggled offensively with four punts and the giveaway. Eight of the Tar Heels' last 16 plays have gone for no gain or negative yardage, including Gio Lopez's interception. Offensive line play appears to be an issue in Bill Belichick's first game as TCU is piling up hits on Lopez and tackles behind the line of scrimmage.
• *Belichick spent most of the first half on his headset with a tablet, combing over plays and looking for a competitive edge. North Carolina's defense faltered after forcing a punt on TCU's first drive, giving up points on the Horned Frogs' next two possessions. Jordan Dwyer was the toughest cover, hauling in six receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown, including a sideline snare in the second quarter that looked like it was going to sail out of play.

[Sep 1, 2025 at 9:19 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

Horned Frogs score on defense

2Q: TCU 17, North Carolina 7

TCU's Bud Clark stepped in front of an errant Gio Lopez throw to the boundary for an interception and went untouched for a 25-yard touchdown with 3:57 to play in the first half. Clark was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play after high-stepping into the end zone, but the damage was done. Lopez threw it short to the inside shoulder of his intended target and Clark jumped the route for six.

[Sep 1, 2025 at 8:56 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

TCU has UNC second-guessing defensively

2Q: TCU 10, North Carolina 7

The Horned Frogs have scored 10 unanswered points to lead, punctuated by a 32-yard field from Kyle Lemmermann with 11:13 to go in the second quarter. That capped a 14-play, 55-yard drive that spanned nearly 7 minutes. An offensive pass interference call in the end zone backed the Horned Frogs up to North Carolina's 28-yard line and TCU's third possession stalled at the Tar Heels' 15 a few plays later. 

[Sep 1, 2025 at 8:37 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

TCU answers on Josh Hoover's beauty

1Q: TCU 7, North Carolina 7

The Horned Frogs scored on their second possession of the opening quarter after Hoover found Jordan Dwyer behind two defenders for a 27-yard score to tie the game at 7. The Horned Frogs got into scoring position with a mix of wide screens, a pass interference flag and a couple strong runs from Kevorian Barnes. TCU's defense settled down after North Carolina's scripted first possession went for a score, forcing a punt courtesy of a second-down sack from Zach Chapman on the Tar Heels' second drive. 

[Sep 1, 2025 at 8:15 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

Belichick era opens with a bang

1Q: North Carolina 7, TCU 0

North Carolina went 83 yards on seven plays to cap its first offensive possession under Bill Belichick with an 8-yard touchdown from Caleb Hood. The Tar Heels moved the chains three times on their first possession, the big strike coming from Gio Lopez to Jordan Shipp for a 39-yard gain on a play-action deep ball. Lopez found Shipp again in the red zone for a 19-yard gain to the 5. Lopez is making his 13th career start at quarterback and first for the Tar Heels. He had 18 touchdown passes and five interceptions last season at South Alabama.

[Sep 1, 2025 at 7:40 pm ET · Carter Bahns]

The surge in excitement around the North Carolina football program will only intensify if Belichick opens his tenure with a win. This is a tricky spot for him to pick up that first victory, but if his transfer additions live up to their billing, TCU is a beatable opponent. Containing Hoover and the Horned Frogs' aerial attack will be paramount, and given that most of the Tar Heels' top transfer pickups came on the defensive side of the ball -- including two four-star prospects who followed Steve Belichick from Washington -- there should be enough new talent on hand to cover the field goal and a hook, if not to win outright. Pick: North Carolina +3.5

North Carolina vs. TCU prediction, pick, odds, spread: Bill Belichick set to make college debut Monday night

Carter Bahns

[Sep 1, 2025 at 7:20 pm ET · John Talty]

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The grand Bill Belichick college football experiment begins Monday night. 

The greatest NFL coach of all-time will walk out in a sold-out Kenan Stadium and guide the North Carolina Tar Heels for the first time against TCU. 

We've had nine months to process Belichick in college football, and yet it still feels surreal. Is that AI or is Belichick actually recruiting 16- and 17-year olds? And the biggest question of them all -- why is the 73-year old even doing this? -- looms large. 

Why is Bill Belichick coaching college football? Exploring the NFL legend's motives ahead of UNC debut

John Talty

[Sep 1, 2025 at 7:00 pm ET · Chris Hummer]

Gio Lopez remembers the spring transfer portal window feeling a bit hectic. A standout second-year passer for South Alabama, Lopez seemed primed to be one of the top overall players in the Group of Five heading into his redshirt sophomore season. Then, suddenly, he announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on April 14.

Three days later -- really minutes later is when the news began to break -- Lopez announced his intention to transfer to North Carolina and play for Bill Belichick. Chris Hummer profiled Lopez for CBS Sports. 

Handpicked by Bill Belichick, North Carolina QB Gio Lopez embraces challenge of living up to expectations

Chris Hummer

[Sep 1, 2025 at 6:30 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

While all eyes are on North Carolina, TCU has high expectations coming into the game. The Horned Frogs are fresh off a nine-win season and are a leading contender in the Big 12. Quarterback Josh Hoover trails only Garrett Nussmeier in returning passing yards and the defense -- led by safety Bud Clark -- started to find its momentum in the second half of the year. 

CBS Sports spoke to TCU coach Sonny Dykes the day the Belichick hire went official, and he hearkened back to the opener two years ago against Deion Sanders. On that occasion, a 45-42 loss pushed a promising TCU team to 5-7 and out of bowl eligibility. 

"There were a lot of unknowns going into that game, and we were not as prepared as a team as we should have been," Dykes told CBS Sports. "We're probably going to devote a little bit more time and attention to make sure this second go-round, our guys are ready to play." 

[Sep 1, 2025 at 6:00 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

North Carolina made the most talked-about move of the offseason, replacing national championship coach Mack Brown for... six-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick. The latter has never coached at the college level at any point in his career, and immediately becomes the oldest coach in college football (73). There's little understanding of how his program or roster will look, making this a truly unique debut. While the personalities couldn't be much more different, this is the biggest debut of a college coach since Deion Sanders.