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CHARLOTTE — North Carolina still has plenty of work, but may have found a budding running back star on its way to a decisive first victory in the Bill Belichick era. The Tar Heels ground out a 20–3 victory over Charlotte on Saturday before a Jerry Richardson Stadium record crowd of 19,223. With a 14-point halftime lead, UNC was content to lean on its rushing attack and burn clock to put away the victory.
Here are some images from Carolina’s victory Saturday night at Jerry Richardson Stadium over the Charlotte 49ers.
In his first game wearing the star, Javonte Williams wasted no time making his presence felt. The Dallas Cowboys signed Williams in March to a one-year, $3.5 million deal after four seasons in Denver, and the running back delivered both of the Cowboys’ touchdowns in Thursday night’s 24–20 road loss to the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
North Carolina released a depth chart for the first time this season. Although it is labeled “unofficial,” it shows Gio Lopez as the starting quarterback and no changes offensively but some shifts on the defensive line.
CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina’s quarterback situation is unclear after Monday night’s loss to TCU left plenty of questions.
CHAPEL HILL — For one fleeting moment, North Carolina’s defense looked like it had found the answer. Late in the first half, with TCU threatening to stretch its lead, Kaleb Cost delivered the kind of play defenders dream about.
CHAPEL HILL — A year ago, Max Johnson lay on the field with a gruesome leg injury that ended his season soon after it began. On Monday night in Chapel Hill, he completed a journey few thought possible to add a positive note on a night that otherwise went horribly wrong for North Carolina in a 48–14 loss to TCU in Bill Belichick’s debut.
Here are some of the images from UNC’s 48–14 opening-game loss to TCU.
Words are hard to find for the egg that was laid in Kenan Stadium on Monday night for the debut of the most successful coach in NFL history. The 48–14 drubbing at the hands of Texas Christian was very bad, worse than the five-touchdown margin indicated.
CHAPEL HILL — All day before the game and for one drive, the thrill and the anticipation of the Belichick era hit a fever pitch. That excitement quickly gave way to frustration and disbelief.
Cut day in the NFL didn’t go well for several former UNC players, but many have made practice squads heading into Week 1. Eight other former Tar Heels are listed as starters or possible starters.
There are a lot of unknowns about UNC’s opener Monday night, but you can be sure about the TCU offense: It’s built to stretch the field horizontally and vertically, forcing the Tar Heels to defend every blade on the natural grass that has returned to Kenan Stadium.
Bill Belichick on a college sideline? Sonny Dykes still can’t quite believe it, but that’s the challenge TCU faces Monday when the Horned Frogs travel to North Carolina for their season opener.
CHAPEL HILL — The tradition of swagger and toughness in the defensive backfield runs deep at Carolina. This year, the Tar Heels’ secondary is leaning into that legacy, proudly adopting the nickname “Rude Boys,” a moniker that dates back to the 1990s when UNC’s defense ranked among the nation’s best.
Here is a look at UNC’s football opener Monday against TCU by the numbers.
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