Bill Belichick's first eight-plus months at the helm of the UNC football program have been met with an abundance of hoopla and storylines.
Now, as the 2025 season begins, Belichick can finally get back to what he does best: coaching.
North Carolina kicks off a new era of Tar Heels football on Monday night, hosting TCU in a much-anticipated season opener. In fact, in the 135th season of UNC football, there's never been an opener quite like this.
A six-time Super Bowl champion as head coach and one of the best coaches in history, Belichick brings his expertise to the college ranks for the first time. Success at UNC may be an uphill climb — Belichick's club was picked to finish eighth in the ACC in the preseason media poll. South Alabama quarterback Gio Lopez draws the start at quarterback for Game 1 of the Belichick era.
The Sporting News has everything that you need to know about watching UNC vs. TCU on Monday, as Bill Belichick makes his anticipated debut on the North Carolina sideline.
How to watch Bill Belichick UNC debut: TV channel, live stream
Bill Belichick will make his UNC coaching debut live on ESPN, with Rece Davis (play-by-play), Kirk Herbstreit (analyst), and Holly Rowe (reporter) on the call for UNC vs. TCU.
Fans can stream the game live with the ESPN app. Now you can watch ESPN without cable. Stream live NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, college sports, plus SportsCenter, First Take, and all your favorite ESPN shows—anytime, anywhere—only in the new ESPN app.
Viewers can also stream UNC vs. TCU live with Fubo, which offers a free trial.
UNC vs. TCU start time
- Date: Monday, Sept. 1
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
Kickoff of UNC vs. TCU is set for 8 p.m. ET on Monday, Sept. 1.
The game will be played at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
UNC vs. TCU radio station
- Radio channel: SiriusXM
Fans can listen to UNC vs. TCU in the Tar Heels' first game with Bill Belichick at the helm live with SiriusXM. The UNC broadcast will air on channel 84, while the Horned Frogs call is on channel 198.
New subscribers can enjoy SiriusXM for free for four months. Listen to live NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.
UNC football schedule 2025
Here's a look at the Tar Heels' schedule in their first season under Bill Belichick.
| Date | Game | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 1 | vs TCU | 8 p.m. |
| Sept. 6 | at Charlotte | 7 p.m. |
| Sept. 13 | vs Richmond | 3:30 p.m. |
| Sept. 20 | at UCF | TBA |
| Oct. 4 | vs Clemson | TBA |
| Oct. 17 | at California | 10:30 p.m. |
| Oct. 25 | vs Virginia | TBA |
| Oct. 31 | at Syracuse | 7:30 p.m. |
| Nov. 8 | vs Stanford | TBA |
| Nov. 15 | at Wake Forest | TBA |
| Nov. 22 | vs Duke | TBA |
| Nov. 29 | at NC State | TBA |