By R.L. Bynum
Starting with a season-opening trip across the Atlantic Ocean to Ireland, North Carolina will launch into year two of the Bill Belichick era with a schedule built for spotlight high-stakes matchups.
The schedule that the ACC announced Monday includes two September open dates for the Tar Heels after the opener in Dublin, Ireland, against TCU on Aug. 29.
After a week off, the Tar Heels face East Tennessee State in their home opener on Sept. 12 in the first meeting between the programs.
From there, the schedule, which features 11 teams coming off winning seasons and teams with a collective record of 103–55 last season, accelerates quickly.
Carolina’s ACC chase begins on the road at Clemson on Saturday, Sept. 19, marking the second straight year the Tigers serve as UNC’s league-opening test. It also marks the Tar Heels’ first return trip to Death Valley since 2023.
Following a second bye week, Notre Dame comes to Chapel Hill for the first time since 2022 on Saturday, Oct. 3. The Fighting Irish, 10–2 last season, are one of two 10-win opponents visiting Carolina in 2026, alongside Miami.
A two-week road swing follows, with a visit to Pittsburgh on Oct. 10, then the battle for the Victory Bell at Duke on Oct. 17.
But the stretch run brings the schedule back home.
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Four of Carolina’s final six games will be played at Kenan Stadium, beginning with Syracuse on Oct. 24 and continuing with a Halloween showdown on Oct. 31 against Miami, which went 13–3 last season and played for the national championship.
UNC steps outside the ACC on Nov. 7 with a trip to UConn, its first visit to East Hartford, Conn., since 2009, before returning home Nov. 14 to host Louisville for the first time since 2017.
The Tar Heels then visit Virginia to renew the South’s Oldest Rivalry (uninterrupted since 1919) on Nov. 21, and return home to play N.C. State on Nov. 28, marking the sixth straight season the regular season ends with the Wolfpack.
The ACC championship game is set for Saturday, Dec. 5, at noon on ABC from Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.
Carolina is one of five ACC teams, along with Boston College, Clemson, Florida State and Georgia Tech, that is playing eight league games. The rest of the league will play nine ACC teams.
Kickoff times and TV designations will be announced as the games get closer.
| Month/ date | Score/ time | Opponent (current ranking) | Record/TV |
|---|---|---|---|
| August | |||
| 29 | W, 15–10 | vs.TCU in Dublin | 1–0 |
| September | |||
| 12 | W, 35–3 | vs. ETSU | 2–0 |
| 19 | L, 28–20 | at Clemson | 2–1, 0–1 ACC |
| October | |||
| 3 | L, 37–26 | vs. No. 4 Notre Dame | 2–2 |
| 10 | W, 21–18 | at Pittsburgh | 3–2, 1–1 |
| 17 | W, 24–20 | at Duke | 4–2, 2–1 |
| 24 | 7:30 | vs. Syracuse | ACCN |
| 31 | 7:30 | vs. No. 1 Miami | ESPN or ABC |
| November | |||
| 7 | Noon | at UConn | CBSSN |
| 14 | TBA | vs. Louisville | TBA |
| 21 | TBA | at Virginia | TBA |
| 28 | TBA | vs. N.C. State | TBA |
| December | |||
| 5 | noon, ABC | ACC championship game in Charlotte | ESPN |
Photo by Joshua Lawton
