As the 2025 college football season hits its midpoint, the North Carolina Tar Heels find themselves in uncharted territory and not in a good way. Under first-year head coach Bill Belichick, UNC has stumbled to a 2-3 record and is already being discussed as having one of the worst starts in school history. Despite high expectations and national attention, the on-field product has been abysmal, prompting fan outrage, media scrutiny, and internal unrest.
Just when you thought the bye week would bring some relief for Belichick and the Tar Heels, the time off became the program's worst opponent thus far. Here are some of the headlines from the past week.
- Was Bill Belichick fired from UNC? Viral social media post dupes fans after Clemson loss
- UNC fans are convinced Mack Brown subtly roasted Bill Belichick over Drake Maye controversy
- Bill Belichick ripped by players parents for 'toxic environment' at UNC
- Bill Belichick and UNC discussing 'exit strategy'
- Bill Belichick releases statement about his future at UNC
- UNC's Michael Lombardi ripped for ill-timed post amid Bill Belichick drama
- North Carolina suspends assistant football coach for recruiting violation
- UNC player retiring five games into 2025 season
- Bill Belichick and UNC documentary reportedly being shopped after Hulu pulls the plug
So how bad is it? Simply put: The mid-season grade is failing.
Season Breakdown: A Program in Freefall
Record: 2-3 Overall, 0-1 ACC
UNC’s only two wins have come against Group of Five and FCS opponents Charlotte (20-3) and Richmond (41-6). Against legitimate Power 4 competition, the Tar Heels have been outclassed at every turn:
TCU 48, UNC 14
UCF 34, UNC 9
Clemson 38, UNC 10
That’s a combined score of 120-33, which is a 29-point average margin of defeat. These aren’t just losses; they’re blowouts.
In fact, this 2-3 start is statistically the worst start against Power 4 opponents in school history, dating back to the program’s founding in 1888.
Offense: F
There’s no other way to grade an offense that ranks dead last among Power 4 teams in scoring. Through five games, UNC has scored just 94 total points. Their lowest output at this point in the season since 2006.
The unit struggles in every key metric.
Third-down conversions are near the bottom nationally. Only five offensive touchdowns in three games vs Power 4 opponents. No identity or rhythm under center, with quarterbacks Gio Lopez and Max Johnson rotating but failing to produce sustained success.
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The offensive line is inconsistent, the run game is underutilized, and playcalling has lacked creativity or adjustment — baffling for a team coached by one of football’s greatest strategists.
Defense: F
Statistically just as bad if not worse than the offense, the defense is giving up 30.8 points per game and a whopping 416.8 yards per game. In all three Power 4 losses, the defense has allowed at least 34 points and been shredded through the air and on the ground.
The injury to defensive back Thaddeus Dixon has made a weak secondary even more vulnerable. While Andrew Simpson and Kaleb Cost have had moments, the defense consistently fails to get off the field, generate turnovers, or apply meaningful pressure.
Midseason Outlook: Course Correction or Collapse?
Behind the scenes, things aren’t much better. Reports of internal dissatisfaction have emerged, with whispers of NCAA rules violations prompting further speculation about the program’s stability. A planned Hulu docuseries following the team was reportedly canceled, and both Coach Belichick and Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham have been forced to issue public reassurances.
The pressure is mounting quickly in Chapel Hill and there’s little optimism that things will improve in the short term.
It’s still early enough to change the narrative, but the window is closing. The offense is broken. The defense is porous. And the locker room reportedly lacks cohesion. Even with Belichick’s reputation, this team looks lost schematically and emotionally. UNC fans, already angry, now feel humiliated. The blowout losses are one thing, but the lack of identity and progress is what stings the most.
As UNC junior Anna Yi put it in her now-viral ESPN interview: “That was one of the saddest feelings I’ve had in university so far, and I’ve failed midterms before. So that’s saying something.”
Well, if UNC Football were a midterm… They didn’t just fail. They bombed it.
Midseason Grade: F
The numbers speak for themselves. The performance, results, and off-field chaos all point to a program in crisis. Unless something changes fast this could go down as one of the most disappointing seasons in UNC football history.
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