How do you grade the greatest NFL coach of all time based on his college debut?
This is the challenge with North Carolina's Bill Belichick, a six-time Super Bowl winner whose debut went off script after the first series. TCU routed North Carolina 48-14, which exposed the challenge of coaching a roster with 70 new players from the transfer portal.
Belichick's arrival generated over-the-top hype on Labor Day. There was a North Carolina GOAT collection in attendance that included Michael Jordan, Lawrence Taylor, Roy Williams and Mia Hamm. Jordon Hudson – Belichick's girlfriend – was spotted in a suite with NFL legend Randy Moss, who played for Belichick in New England.
MORE: Week 1 over-reactions, from Arch Manning to Alabama
TCU – a legit Big 12 championship contender with Sonny Dykes – spoiled the debut. The Horned Frogs lost 45-42 to Colorado in Deion Sanders' debut on Sept. 2, 2023. That would not happen here.
"Chapel Bill" has a lot of work to do with North Carolina, and it showed. Here are our grades for Belichick in his debut.
Bill Belichick pre-game interview: A
Remember the warm-and-cordial Belichick from ACC Kickoff? Yeah, that guy is gone – replaced by the cursory answers made famous during his tenure with New England. ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe pointed out Belichick made his college debut 35 years to the day of his first game as a NFL head coach with the Cleveland Browns.
"I hope it goes better than the game against Jimmy Johnson and Dallas," Belichick said. "They crushed us, so hope it goes better than that.”
The Cowboys won that game 26-14, and it was a one-score game in the fourth quarter. This was much worse.
Belichick was also asked about the sweatshirt with the cut-off sleeves.
"Yeah, it's kind of my thing."
Bill Belichick in mid-season form: pic.twitter.com/Yfr03OWnxB
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 1, 2025
This still is our favorite version of Belichick.
Bill Belichick's North Carolina offense: F
North Carolina opened the game with a seven-play, 83-yard TD drive that was the perfect mix of run and pass with new quarterback Gio Lopez. He hit Jordan Shipp on a 39-yard corner route and a 19-yard pass on a run-pass option. Caleb Hood capped that with an 8-yard TD run.
Freddie Kitchens – the former Cleveland Browns head coach in 2019 – was dialed in on the first drive, but the Tar Heels were a disaster after the script.
Lopez did not complete another pass until there was 8:10 left in the third quarter. North Carolina's next three drives amounted to nine plays for -10 yards. The Tar Heels were 0 of 5 on third down in the first half.
Lopez made the first critical mistake with 3:57 left in the first half. On third-and-4, Lopez tried to throw an out route, but TCU safety Bud Clark jumped the route for a 25-yard interception return for a TD. That gave the Horned Frogs a 17-7 lead.
Once the Tar Heels fell behind 34-7, Lopez fumbled on a sack, which was picked up by Devean Deal and returned 31 yards for a touchdown. That was two turnovers that led to 14 points for TCU. Belichick loves to say, "You can’t win until you keep from losing." That second defensive TD emptied the stands.
The cameras panned to Bill Belichick after Devean Deal picked up the Gio Lopez fumble and took it for a touchdown 😂
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) September 2, 2025
This game is way out of hand now, it’s one of the biggest blowouts of the week.
DAMN BILL. pic.twitter.com/ECUOm1xGyS
A bright spot? Max Johnson – a sixth-year player who played two seasons at Texas A&M and LSU – replaced Lopez in the third quarter. He led a TD drive with a two-yard TD pass to his brother Jake Johnson with nine seconds remaining in the third quarter.
Johnson finished 9 of 11 passing with 103 yards and a TD. Lopez finished 4 of 10 for 69 yards with an interception and a fumble. The Tar Heels had 50 rushing yards and finished 1 of 10 on third down.
Bill Belichick North's Carolina defense: D
Defensive coordinator Steve Belichick made it work on the first drive, too, but the Horned Frogs settled in with a six-play, 58-yard drive on their second series. Josh Hoover hit Jordan Dwyer for a 27-yard TD with 4:08 left in the first quarter. A pass interference call helped set that score up.
Hoover hit 20 of 25 passes for 193 yards in the first half, with the lone mistake an interception by Kaleb Cost on a tipped pass. Tar Heels defensive back Kaleb Cost stopped the next TCU drive with an interception with 5:13 remaining in the first half.
Kyle Lemmermann added a 33-yard field goal as time expired in the first half for a 20-7 lead.
The Tar Heels, however, did not make the right half-time adjustments. Kevorian Barnes opened the second half with a 75-yard TD run on the first play from scrimmage. On the next drive, Hoover connected with tight end Chase Curtis for a 21-yard gain on third-and-20, and Trent Battle scored on a 28-yard TD run. Missed tackles were an issue in the second half.
Hoover finished 27 of 36 for 284 yards. TCU finished with 258 rushing yards on 7.4 yards per carry.
Bill Belichick North's Carolina special teams: C
Special teams are Belichick's specialty. North Carolina punter Tom Maginness dropped a punt snap late in the first half, but he recovered for a 26-yard punt. Maginness averaged 39 yards per punt, and returners Chris Culliver and Jaylen McGill averaged 21 yards per return. North Carolina did not make any game-altering plays on special teams.
Where does Bill Belichick, UNC go after Week 1 blowout?
We're on to Charlotte.
Belichick's arrival created a buzz, but the blowout loss showed how difficult the job will be in Year 1. Three turnovers, who of which were returned for touchdowns, did not help. The Tar Heels might have a quarterback controversy with Lopez and Johnson, and the inability to win third down was a killer for the Tar Heels in this loss.
North Carolina faces Charlotte and Richmond the next two weeks before its next swing against a Power 4 school at UCF on Sept. 20. Belichick will not have another spotlight game until Clemson visits North Carolina on Oct. 4. How much will the Tar Heels improve in that stretch?