North Carolina opens year two of the Bill Belichick era before almost anyone else in the country — Saturday, August 29 against TCU at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. After a 4-8 debut season, Belichick reworked the staff, handing the offense to Bobby Petrino, and drew a schedule that brings Notre Dame and Miami to Kenan Stadium while stacking four of the final six games at home.
Kickoff times for most ACC games are announced 6-12 days out, so check back weekly — this page is updated as times, networks, and results come in.
2026 Team Schedule
North Carolina Tar Heels Football Schedule
ACC · Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill · Bill Belichick, Year 2
2025 Record
4-8
Belichick’s debut season
Home Games
6
Plus Dublin opener
Season Opener
Aug 29
vs TCU in Dublin, Ireland
Circle It
Oct 3
Notre Dame visits Chapel Hill
Full 2026 North Carolina Football Schedule
| Date |
Opponent |
Time (ET) / TV |
Result |
| Sat, Aug 29 |
vs TCU (Aviva Stadium, Dublin) |
12:00 PM |
— |
| Sat, Sept 5 |
Bye week |
— |
— |
| Sat, Sept 12 |
vs East Tennessee State |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Sept 19 |
at Clemson |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Sept 26 |
Bye week |
— |
— |
| Sat, Oct 3 |
vs Notre Dame |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Oct 10 |
at Pitt |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Oct 17 |
at Duke (Victory Bell) |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Oct 24 |
vs Syracuse |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Oct 31 |
vs Miami |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Nov 7 |
at UConn |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Nov 14 |
vs Louisville |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Nov 21 |
at Virginia |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Nov 28 |
vs NC State |
TBA |
— |
Games That Will Decide UNC’s Season
| Game |
Date |
Why It Matters |
| vs TCU (Dublin) |
Aug 29 |
Week 0 spotlight — the whole sport watches Belichick’s year-two debut |
| vs Notre Dame |
Oct 3 |
Top-5 opponent at Kenan — the biggest home game of the Belichick era so far |
| vs Miami |
Oct 31 |
A Halloween shot at the ACC favorite — and UNC won the last meeting, in 2023 |
| vs NC State |
Nov 28 |
The rivalry finale at home after last year’s loss in Raleigh |
Fast Fact
UNC’s 2026 opponents combined for a 103-55 record last season — ten of them made bowls, and three won at least 10 games.
Fast Fact
The Dublin opener comes with a built-in recovery plan: byes in two of the first four weeks, an unusually gentle on-ramp.
Fast Fact
Bobby Petrino takes over the offense in year two, with Stephen Belichick back running the defense.
How the Schedule Sets Up
Four of the final six games are in Chapel Hill, which means the season’s story gets written late — if Petrino’s offense finds a quarterback and the Heels reach November at .500, bowl eligibility runs straight through Kenan Stadium. We’re tracking Belichick’s rebuild all season in our Bill Belichick UNC record tracker, and the full FBS scheduling structure behind slates like this is governed by the NCAA.
The Bottom Line
Year one was a 4-8 education. Year two comes with a new offensive coordinator, a top-12 recruiting class, and a schedule that puts the marquee names — Notre Dame, Miami, NC State — in front of the home crowd. Bookmark this page — times, networks, and results are updated throughout the season.
