Under first-year head coach Michael Malone, it's safe to say that not everyone is buying into what the North Carolina Tar Heels are selling.

UNC has one final exhibition on Tuesday, Oct. 27 against Charlotte, and then it's go-time as the 2026-27 regular season begins on Monday, Nov. 2 against Western Carolina.

Obviously, games like Western Carolina, Wofford, Wyoming, Marshall, and Monmouth don't provide much of a challenge to start the regular season.

Georgia is UNC's fourth opponent, but the Tar Heels are set to play six straight games at home before things get interesting.

Starting out 6-0 would be great, no doubt, but remember, Caleb Wilson led this team to a 13-1 start last season, only for the Tar Heels to get upset by No. 11 VCU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

VCU won that game, 82-78, in overtime, and that signaled the end of the Hubert Davis era.

Now, with Malone at the helm, it's going to take some time for UNC to get back to where they once were, and ESPN's Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf came together to give the team a fine, but not spectacular tournament prediction.

What exactly is Tier V? Well, according to Borzello and Medcalf, this group of seven teams "can win a tournament game."

One tournament game? That's it? With UNC's schedule and roster, it's certainly possible. This is a Tar Heels team that could find themselves in the AP Top 25 with a few impressive wins, or they could be part of the last four teams into the NCAA Tournament.

The ACC is once again going to be a gauntlet, and Malone doesn't have much time at all before things get serious.

Arkansas is on the schedule for Tuesday, Dec. 1, and the Razorbacks are currently ranked No. 12.

No. 23 Kentucky is the only other ranked team UNC will face in 2026, but once the calendar turns to 2027, there are a ton of notable games that will make-or-break the Tar Heels' season.

According to the preseason AP Top 25, UNC is currently projected to play seven ranked games from Tuesday, Jan. 5 to Sunday, March 6.

Borzello touched on Terrence Brown, Neo Avdalas, and Matt Able as three players the Tar Heels desperately need to make an impact; otherwise, this could be another one-and-done year for UNC.