Will Bill Belichick break his lifelong opening-day jinx at UNC?

As the sun sets over Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Labor Day, all eyes will be on Kenan Stadium, where Bill Belichick, a six-time Super Bowl-winning coach, makes his college football debut against TCU.

The hype is real; tickets sold out faster than a Taylor Swift concert, and Tar Heel fans are buzzing like never before. But here’s the kicker - Belichick, for all his NFL genius, has a notorious opening-day jinx. Can the 73-year-old legend finally shake it at UNC, or will TCU’s Horned Frogs spoil the party?

Let’s talk about this jinx. In New England, Belichick’s Patriots were no strangers to Week 1 stumbles. From a 31-0 drubbing by Buffalo in 2003 to a 4-13 season in 2023, his teams often started slow before finding their groove later. He told Rece Davis:

“Opening Day is always a tough day. You prepare the best you can, then move forward.”

Now, in his first college gig, the stakes feel different. UNC isn’t Foxboro, while Belichick’s not facing NFL vets, but TCU’s Sonny Dykes, is fresh off a 9-4 season.

The Tar Heels are 3.5-point underdogs, per BetMGM, and with 70 new players, including South Alabama transfer QB Gio Lopez, chemistry is a question mark.

Meanwhile, Bill Belichick’s arrival has transformed UNC from a basketball school to a football spectacle. Season tickets sold out by May 22, a program record, and local bars like He’s Not Here expect double the revenue.

Fans on X are hyped, with posts like “Belichick’s gonna turn UNC into the 33rd NFL team!” (@CFBRep). He’s brought an NFL-style staff, with sons Steve and Brian, plus GM Mike Lombardi and a pro mindset, skipping ACC Media Days to focus on prep.

But college football’s chaos, with its transfer portal and NIL deals, isn’t the NFL. Recruiting 17-year-olds and navigating boosters is new territory for a man used to diagramming plays with Tom Brady.

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Can Bill Belichick’s defense outsmart TCU’s speed?

TCU is no pushover. Its 34-3 New Mexico Bowl win over Louisiana shows it can dominate, and QB Sam Leavitt’s four TDs against Northern Arizona last week scream confidence. UNC’s revamped roster, led by Lopez (2,559 passing yards in 2024) and receiver Kobe Paysour (365 yards), has potential but lacks cohesion.

Bill Belichick’s defense is run by Steve, ranked third in NFL opponent yards per play in 2023. So if anyone can stifle TCU’s up-tempo attack, it’s him.

Still, X fans worry:

“New team, new system—Week 1 could be rough” (@SSN_ACC).

Here’s my take though: Belichick’s jinx isn’t cursed luck; it’s the rust of new beginnings. His meticulous prep and “do your job” mantra thrive over a season, not a single game.

UNC’s favorable schedule, with Charlotte, Richmond, UCF next, gives him time to gel this squad. But TCU’s speed and UNC’s inexperience might keep the jinx alive for one more opener.

I’m calling a close loss, 27-24, but by October, Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels could be a playoff dark horse. Chapel Hill’s ready to believe, jinx or not.