Art Chansky’s Sports Notebook is presented by The Casual Pint. YOUR place for delicious pub food paired with local beer. Choose among 35 rotating taps and 200+ beers in the cooler.
UNC’s football schedule has more meaning than just a new coach.
Bill Belichick will be closely followed, literally and figuratively, on UNC’s opening night of the 2025 season after taking over the Tar Heels program about six weeks ago.
Because of Belichick’s incomparable NFL record (eight Super Bowl championships, six as a head coach), his move to Chapel Hill is of enormous interest to professional and college fans and media.
It is somewhat surreal to think that Belichick will be on the home sideline when the Tar Heels kick off what they hope to be a new era on Labor Day Monday, against TCU at 7:30 in Kenan Stadium on natural grass instead of some hybrid turf.
Besides low-profile appearances with UNC brass and the high-profile gesture of sending pizzas to every fraternity on campus before the televised Carolina-Duke basketball game, Belichick has been seen on the road recruiting more than the streets of his new hometown.
If he hadn’t built an entire NFL franchise and run the whole dadgum thing, what he is trying to do in a short time would seem more than daunting. Figure out which players he wants to return from Mack Brown’s last team, signing up ready-to-go guys from the transfer portal and luring high school recruits from the classes of 2025 to 2027.
The way-too-early predictions have Hoodie’s Heels picked from the middle of the 17-team ACC to one brave sportswriter who predicts Belichick’s first Tar Heel team will make it to the 12-team College Football Playoff. That’s quite a range, considering UNC will only be a slight favorite, if favored at all, over the Horned Frogs who are an early pick to finish 8th in the 16-team Big 12 after going 9-4 last season.
The game will be on ESPN’s mothership in a time slot that will be filled by NFL Monday Night Football for the rest of the season. ESPN has not revealed whether to hold Game Day from Chapel Hill, but that seems likely since it is the only football game of the entire day.
It was originally scheduled for Saturday, August 30, when Texas plays national champion Ohio State along with almost 80 other games, all on TV somewhere. So will all eyes be on the new Tar Heels? You can bet your Belichick on that.
Carolina’s schedule continues with FCS opponents (at) Charlotte and home against Richmond, followed by a trip to sneaky good Central Florida of the Big 12 and – after its first bye week – back home to face defending ACC champion Clemson. The Heels have their second of two off weekends followed by a cross-country flight to Cal and back home against Virginia, a trip to Syracuse and a November against Stanford at home, at Wake Forest, home vs. Duke and finishing at N.C. State.
How will the Heels stand by then? Only the Hoodie knows.
chapelboroaudio.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/2025/February/04/Art%27s%20Notebook%20020525%20-%20FINAL.mp3 Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Chansky’s Notebook: The Hooded Heels Chapelboro.com.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Chansky’s Notebook: The Hooded Heels )
Also on site :
- Jelly Roll Meets Country Legend, 57, at CMA Fest and Fans Are Losing It: 'Iconic!'
- Today’s NYT ‘Strands’ Hints, Spangram and Answers for Sunday, June 8
- NYT Connections Sports Edition Today: Hints and Answers for June 8