CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Bud Clark had a first-half pick-six and Kevorian Barnes had a 75-yard touchdown run on the first second-half snap to help TCU spoil Bill Belichick’s college coaching debut by rolling past North Carolina 48-14 on Monday night.
“We wanted this game to be about us, and it was,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said.
The 73-year-old Belichick had won six Super Bowl titles in a 24-year run as head coach of the NFL’s New England Patriots. His Tar Heels (0-1) scored on the game’s first possession, but the Horned Frogs steadily took control to drive a full-house hostile crowd to the exits well before the fourth quarter.
“I think we all felt a little disrespected,” Dykes said. “There was a lot of conversation about this game and none of it was about us.”
Clark’s 25-yard return late in the second was the first of two defensive touchdowns for the Horned Frogs (1-0), the other being Devean Deal’s 37-yard scoop-and-score in the third.
TCU’s Josh Hoover threw for two scores while Jordan Dwyer finished with nine catches for 136 yards and a 27-yard first-quarter TD. Trent Battle added his own score by running untouched around the left side for 28 yards as TCU built a 41-7 lead.
The 48 points scored by TCU marked the most allowed by UNC in any opener in its history, according to Sportradar.
North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick paces the sideline during the first half of an NCAA college football game against TCU, Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Chapel Hill, N.C. Credit: AP/Chris Seward
“They were clearly the better team tonight,” Belichick said. “They deserved to win and they did it decisively.”
Caleb Hood ran for a score for the Tar Heels’ first touchdown under Belichick. South Alabama transfer quarterback Gio Lopez completed 4 of 10 passes for 69 yards before exiting the game after halftime with a back injury.
TCU outgained UNC 542-222 in total offense.
The takeaway
TCU: It was quite a reversal for the Horned Frogs, who lost two years ago as the “other” team in the Colorado debut of former NFL superstar Deion Sanders but took over this one in a stretch of 41 unanswered points.
TCU wide receiver Jordyn Bailey (4) evades North Carolina defensive back Gavin Gibson (5) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Monday, Sept. 1, 2025, in Chapel Hill, N.C. Credit: AP/Chris Seward
“It was different,” Dykes said of the Colorado game. “I didn’t go into that game with the same level of confidence that I came into this on. Not because of our opponent, but just because of the way we prepared.”
UNC: Belichick had overhauled the roster, with UNC bringing in roughly 70 new players between transfers and incoming recruits. This was a sign it will take time to make good on UNC’s bet that he can elevate its football program.
Johnson’s return
Max Johnson took over at QB for UNC after Lopez’s exit for his first action since returning from a catastrophic leg injury suffered in last year’s opener at Minnesota.
Johnson, who lost the battle for the starting job to Lopez, completed 9 of 11 passes for 103 yards and a late touchdown. That all came with the outcome no longer in doubt.
“It’s just a blessing to be able to play football again,” Johnson said.
Up next
TCU: The Horned Frogs get a week off before returning with a home game against Abilene Christian on Sept. 13.
UNC: The Tar Heels have a short turnaround, visiting the state’s biggest city with a trip to Charlotte on Saturday.
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