North Carolina Football Unveils 2025 Schedule: A New Era Under Bill Belichick
CHAPEL HILL,N.C. — The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) has officially released North Carolina football’s 2025 schedule, marking the beginning of the Bill Belichick era in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels’ 12-game slate features nine in-state matchups,one game in Florida,one in New York,and a West coast trip to California.
UNC will kick off its season on Sept.1 against Texas Christian University (TCU) at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN. This game will be the first of a four-game non-conference schedule, which also includes road games against Charlotte (Sept. 6) and Central Florida (UCF) (Sept. 20), as well as a home game against Richmond (Sept.13).
TCU, led by head coach Sonny Dykes, finished the 2024 season with a 9-4 record, ranking fifth in the Big 12. The Horned Frogs boasted the third-best scoring offense in the conference,averaging 33.5 points per game, but struggled defensively, ranking ninth with 24.6 points allowed per game. This matchup is part of a home-and-home series, with UNC scheduled to travel to Fort Worth in 2026.
The Tar Heels’ ACC campaign begins on Oct. 4 with a home game against Clemson, a team that has dominated the series in recent years. UNC has lost its last six meetings against the Tigers,including a 31-20 defeat in Death Valley during the 2023 season. The last time North Carolina hosted Clemson in Kenan Stadium was in 2019, when the Tigers narrowly escaped with a 21-20 victory.
In addition to Clemson, UNC will host Duke, stanford, and Virginia in conference play. The Tar Heels’ rivalry with Duke remains intense, with UNC falling 21-20 on the road last season. However, they dominated Virginia with a 41-14 victory as the visiting team.
Stanford,a rare opponent for UNC,leads the all-time series 2-1. The two teams last met in the 2016 Sun Bowl, with Stanford emerging victorious. This year’s matchup in Chapel Hill will be just the second time the Cardinal has visited Kenan Stadium since their first meeting in 1997.
On the road,UNC will face N.C. State, Wake forest, Syracuse, and California. The Tar Heels have struggled against N.C. State, losing their last four meetings, including a 35-30 defeat in the 2024 regular-season finale. Though, they secured a 31-24 home victory over Wake Forest last November, their final win of the season.
The Halloween matchup against Syracuse will be just the fourth time UNC has faced the Orange on the road. Their last meeting in 2018 ended in a heartbreaking 40-37 double-overtime loss. Simultaneously occurring,the West Coast trip to face Cal will be the second time the Tar Heels have played in Berkeley,with the Golden Bears winning both previous matchups.
Key Highlights of UNC’s 2025 Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Location |
|——————-|——————–|——————–|
| Sept. 1 | TCU | Chapel Hill, N.C. |
| Sept. 6 | Charlotte | Charlotte,N.C. |
| Sept. 13 | Richmond | Chapel Hill, N.C. |
| Sept. 20 | UCF | Orlando, Fla. |
| Oct.4 | Clemson | Chapel Hill, N.C. |
| Oct. 16/17 | California | Berkeley,Calif.|
| Oct. 25 | Virginia | Chapel hill, N.C. |
| Oct. 31 | Syracuse | Syracuse, N.Y.|
| Nov. 8 | Stanford | Chapel Hill, N.C. |
| Nov. 15 | Wake Forest | Winston-Salem, N.C.|
| Nov. 22 | Duke | Chapel Hill,N.C. |
| Nov. 29 | N.C. State | Raleigh, N.C. |
The 2025 season marks a fresh start for North Carolina football under Bill Belichick, who signed a five-year, $50 million contract last week. Belichick has assembled a strong coaching staff, including his son Steve Belichick as defensive coordinator and Freddie Kitchens as offensive coordinator. Michael Lombardi will serve as the team’s general manager.
UNC finished the 2024 season with a 6-7 record, including a 3-5 mark in ACC play and a loss in the Fenway Bowl to UConn. The Tar Heels’ last ACC championship came in 1980, and their most recent conference championship appearance ended in a loss to Clemson in 2022.
As the Tar Heels prepare for the 2025 season, fans are eager to see if Belichick can lead the program back to its former glory. With a challenging schedule ahead, the stakes are higher than ever.
What are yoru predictions for UNC’s 2025 season? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
