Pat McAfee Doesn't Hold Back in Prediction for UNC, Bill Belichick

The North Carolina Tar Heels came away with a great opening win over the TCU Horned Frogs. It was a 15-10 victory, a bounce-back win after a rough 2025 season.

Ahead of the rest of the season, ESPN's Pat McAfee predicted that Belichick and the Tar Heels would win the ACC.

This is a bold prediction, as North Carolina is not expected to win the ACC Title, with talented teams like the Miami Hurricanes, SMU, Louisville, and others favored over the Tar Heels.

It will be difficult to overcome other teams, particularly the Hurricanes, who made it to the National Championship Game in the 2025 season. Miami has a ton of talent on their roster and with a more established culture in place, Belichick's team will need to elevate to another level to compete with them.

Belichick's tenure at North Carolina has been marked by controversy off the field and struggles on the field. 

The Tar Heels finished the 2025 season with a 4-8 record despite a ton of hype surrounding Belichick taking over the program after establishing himself as one of the best coaches in NFL history, winning six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots.

However, North Carolina is off to a better start in 2026 and has the talent and coaching to potentially make a push at winning the ACC Title. Tar Heels quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. had a solid game, completing 16 of 28 passes for 232 yards. 

Running back Jaylen McGill was the player to find the end zone as he rushed for 33 yards and a touchdown on five carries. Tight end Jelani Thurman led the way in the receiving game as he had four receptions for 94 yards.

On the defensive side of the ball, North Carolina's Xavier Lewis led the way with seven tackles and two sacks. Melkart Abou-Jaoude was also effective, as he had four tackles and a sack.

The Tar Heels have talent on both sides of the ball, and with Belichick at the helm, they could make a surprise run to the ACC Title Game, as McAfee predicted.