TCU routs UNC in Bill Belichick’s college football coaching debut

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) — It was a promising start for North Carolina football and new head coach Bill Belichick — a seven-play, 83-yard game-opening drive that ended with an eight-yard run into the end zone by Caleb Hood.

But that would be the be the only time the Tar Heels (0-1) would lead Monday night as the TCU Horned Frogs (1-0) dominated the home team, eventually winning by a score of 48-14.

TCU found the end zone seven times, with two of them coming on defensive plays. Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover threw for 284 yards, completing 27 of 36 passes with two touchdowns and an interception. His favorite target was Jordan Dwyer, who had 136 yards on 9 receptions.

UNC, on the other hand, struggled on both sides of the ball. On the offensive side, they managed 222 yards of total offense. Gio Lopez started under center for the Tar Heels but was ineffective, completing just four of his 10 pass attempts for 69 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Lopez was pulled with under seven minutes left in the third quarter and replaced with Max Johnson, who started last year’s season opener for the Tar Heels before breaking his leg in the game at Minnesota. In his first drive, Johnson led UNC up the field for their second score of the game. A two-yard pass from him to Jake Johnson (no relation) capped off an 80-yard, 10-play drive near the end of the third quarter. Max Johnson finished with 103 yards on nine of 11 passes with a touchdown.

But that would be all the Tar Heels would manage. They punted six times during the game, with five of them not even resulting in a first down. UNC struggled with moving the chains all game, recording just four first downs in the first half and five in the second.

Belichick and the Tar Heels will go back to the drawing board as they prepare for a game at Charlotte next week.