Oct 4, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney with North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick before the game at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Artacho’s Angle: Why the Bye Week Failed UNC

Originally posted on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI
By Jeremiah Artacho | Last updated Oct 5, 2025 9:00 AM ET

North Carolina football failed. Its game against the Clemson Tigers on Saturday afternoon was nowhere near competitive, and no different than the first two Power 4 matchups, getting smacked by the TCU Horned Frogs and the UCF Knights.

The Tar Heels, led by 73-year-old Bill Belichick, did not look anywhere near a team that had any chance of winning, even if the game was in Chapel Hill. And that's where the issue is for this team: losing and losing by a large margin are two completely different things.

UNC losing may not be such a bad thing if it were able to keep up with its competitors on the other end. Belichick has been preaching his squad to be smart, tough and dependable, but they have been nothing close to it. North Carolina has lost by the following scores: 48-14, 34-9 and 38-10.

When losing, it has been outscored 120-33, completely awful and does not look like it belongs at the Power 4 conference. Students of the school are losing interest, except those who decided to stick longer than the first half, as seen on Saturday.

Chancellor Lee Roberts and the Board of Trustees' decision to bring Belichick on continues to grow concern, considering that when the position was opened, the pool of potential hires included head coaches who have collegiate experience, unlike the eight-time Super Bowl champion (which has yet to make any difference, clearly).

Bill Belichick’s Hire Continues To Grow as Questionable

Belichick's eight rings captured during his NFL days seem to be nonexistent because of how poorly he has managed his team and Carolina fans continue to not want any part of it. The addition of the Chapel Thrill Game Day experience has brought plenty of moments for families before kickoff, but during the game? Little to none. Kenan Memorial Stadium saw plenty of orange in the stands from the view inside the press box at least; however, it should not go unnoticed.

Maybe Mack Brown was not so bad after all when reflecting on last season, as UNC decided to let him conclude his second stint in Chapel Hill — ending as the head coach with the most wins in program history.

North Carolina finds itself in another bye week before it takes on California on the road on Friday, October 17. If the Tar Heels find a way to win, then it would not be a failure... again.

Please

This article first appeared on North Carolina Tar Heels on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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