North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick’s first big decision of the new college football season was an unpopular one.
The Tar Heels faced off against TCU on Saturday at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland and saw their first drive stall out at the Horned Frogs’ 2-yard line. Instead of trying to punch the ball in for a touchdown on fourth and goal, Belichick played it very safe and kicked a field goal.
That lack of aggression was roasted on social media.
Bill Belichick kicking a FG on 4th & goal from the 2-yard line
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) August 29, 2026
…on the first drive of the season
we are so back pic.twitter.com/AhQaswUoZB
Bill Belichick taking the points from 20 yards out like it's a late December divisional matchup against the Jets in 2008
— 2StripesCPD (@2StripesCPD) August 29, 2026
Kicking the field goal on 4th and goal from the 2 when you’re a big underdog.
— Devin Knotts (@devinknottsfbg) August 29, 2026
The game has passed Belichick by.
4th and goal at the 2? UNC kicks the FG
— The Return of the Big A (@ReturnOfTheBigA) August 29, 2026
Never change Bill Belichick 😂
In the past, Belichick has actually been criticized for passing up field goals and being too aggressive on offense. That was certainly not the case here. The rationale was that since his Tar Heels are underdogs, he needed to take some additional chances in his bid to come away with a season-opening win.
The Tar Heels did ultimately get the three points. With Belichick under pressure in Chapel Hill, there is no doubt people might want him to be a bit more aggressive to try and win more games, but that was not how he played the first drive of the season opener.
