North Carolina football receives bad news ahead of opener vs. TCU

North Carolina will not have one of its coaches for Saturday’s season opener against TCU.

According to On3’s Pete Nakos and InsideCarolina, defensive coordinator Steve Belichick is not expected to be with the team in Dublin. Belichick has been on indefinite medical leave since Aug. 6.

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Meanwhile, Nakos reports that head coach Bill Belichick and defensive line coach Bob Diaco have been prepping the defense, with Belichick expected to call plays from the sideline.

This will be Belichick’s second season as North Carolina’s head coach after only winning four games last year, two of which were in the ACC. He’s hoping to turn things around this season, and it all starts on Saturday in Dublin against TCU.

The UNC-TCU game is one of several on Saturday, the start of the 2026 college football season. Fans have been waiting several months for the season to start, and it’s nearly here.

Kickoff for the UNC-TCU game will be at noon ET on ESPN. Mike Monaco and Jordan Rodgers will be on the call.

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