Bill Belichick’s first full schedule as head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels is set.
The ACC released its full schedule Monday to set the scene for an intriguing fall with plenty of anticipation surrounding Belichick’s debut at Chapel Hill. From a primetime opener to hosting the reigning conference champions, there’s plenty of games to circle on Belichick’s first schedule with the Tar Heels.
How will the Tar Heels fare in 2025?
We’re over seven months away from Belichick’s debut, but let’s have some fun with a first crack at predicting the schedule.
Week 0: BYE
Story continues below advertisement
Week 1: Sep. 1 vs. TCU
Result: Win
For the second straight season, a former New England Patriots coach will make his school debut on Labor Day in primetime on ESPN. Bill O’Brien and the Boston College Eagles upset then-No. 10 Florida State in that slot in 2024.
Now, Belichick welcomes the Horned Frogs to Kenan Stadium for the start of a new era. Belichick’s run of new portal talent gets the job done to move to 1-0.
Week 2: Sep. 6 @ Charlotte
Result: Win
Story continues below advertisement
Belichick teams take care of business against teams they need to beat. That’s all you need to know from Weeks 2-5.
Week 3: Sep. 13 @ Richmond
Result: Win
Week 4: Sep. 20 @ UCF
Result: Win
Week 5: BYE
Story continues below advertisement
Week 6: Oct. 4 vs. Clemson
Result: Loss
Time to come back to Earth.
Clemson sets a fun matchup as the reigning ACC champions and a playoff team from 2024. Dabo Swinney’s team still has plenty of talent and should humble Belichick’s squad and pump the brakes on conference title game aspirations.
Week 7: BYE
more bill Belichick
Week 8: Oct. 16/17 @ California
Result: Win
Belichick’s group makes the first West Coast trip of the season to an invested California fan base on a weeknight.
Story continues below advertisement
This game will be close, but let’s give it to North Carolina on a late field goal.
Week 9: Oct. 25 vs. Virginia
Result: Loss
Belichick learns a tough lesson about a hidden gem talent of the ACC: Virginia quarterback Anthony Colandrea.
The Cavaliers quarterback will put on a show in a surprise home loss for the Tar Heels.
Week 10: Oct. 31 @ Syracuse
Result: Loss
Fran Brown turned Syracuse into a legitimate squad in 2024 with a nine-win regular season and a victory in the DIRECTV Holiday Bowl over Washington State.
Story continues below advertisement
Quarterback Kyle McCord, who declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, is gone but Brown’s Syracuse squad will meet the spooky challenge against Belichick’s Tar Heels on Halloween night inside the JMA Wireless Dome.
Week 11: Nov. 8 vs. Stanford
Result: Win
Stanford posted the worst defense in the ACC last season and Belichick’s group will take advantage to stop a two-game losing streak.
Week 12: Nov. 15 @ Wake Forest
Result: Win
The Tar Heels earn a road win to start a three-game stretch against in-state programs to end the season.
Week 13: Nov. 22 vs. Duke
Result: Loss
No matter the sport, bragging rights in North Carolina come down to the outcome between the Tar Heels and the Blue Devils.
Story continues below advertisement
An emerging Duke program gets the job done in Belichick’s first showdown.
Week 14: Nov. 29 @ NC State
Result: Win
This will sneaky be one of the more entertaining games of Thanksgiving weekend.
NC State’s offense averaged 28.5 points per game in 2024 and will make this an intriguing shootout before the Tar Heels secure the win.
Final Record: 8-4
Belichick boosts the program to bowl eligibility and the team’s third eight-win season in four years.
Featured image via Bob Donnan/Imagn Images