Bill Belichick is kicking off his second year with the North Carolina Tar Heels in Dublin, Ireland, taking on the TCU Horned Frogs in the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic this Saturday. It’s a massive Week 0 opener for both squads, but after a rough 4-8 overall record and a 2-6 ACC mark in Belichick’s first year, the Tar Heels definitely need to show up better than they did in 2018, their last season that bad.
The Dublin Showdown and Last Season’s Woes
This is the first time both programs are playing in this Dublin event, with kickoff set for noon ET at Aviva Stadium. Remember what happened last season? TCU absolutely crushed UNC 48-14 back in Week 1 down in Chapel Hill. That’s a serious scoreline to live down. TCU, under coach Sonny Dykes, has been solid, pulling off 9-4 seasons two years in a row. Dykes is heading into his fourth year with the Horned Frogs, so they’ve got some consistency going for them.
Why the “Under” Is Looking Good For This One
When it comes to the betting, the Horned Frogs are favored by 8.5 points against North Carolina, with the over/under sitting at 46.5. SportsLine expert Zack Cimini, who’s on a scorching 22-9 run with his ATS picks, is leaning hard on the Under for this matchup. Why? Both teams are breaking in new transfer quarterbacks, and let’s be real, that always takes time to gel. Last year, the Under came through for Carolina in 7 of their final 11 games. Plus, the Under has hit in a whopping 10 of their last 14 non-conference matchups. TCU also had a strong Under trend, with the total not being eclipsed in six of their last ten regular season games. It just screams a low-scoring affair.
This Week 0 clash isn’t just about the scenery in Dublin, it’s about setting the tone right out of the gate for both teams. Can Belichick’s Tar Heels flip the script early, or will TCU continue their consistent winning ways?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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