Safe. Maybe. Possibly.

Those aren’t the words we’ll use for these North Carolina football predictions entering the 2025 season, Bill Belichick ’s debut year as head coach of the Tar Heels . Let’s approach the “Chapel Bill” era with some bold takes for UNC, which opens with TCU on Sept. 1 (8 p.m., ESPN) at Kenan Stadium.

With more than 70 newcomers on the 2025 roster, there are more questions than answers surrounding the Tar Heels as they try to bounce from a 6-7 record and Mack Brown’s final season in Chapel Hill.

Option against playing it safe, here are three bold predictions for the Tar Heels in their first season under Belichick.

UNC football will have top-25 defense with Bill Belichick

It’s been 16 years since a UNC defense has allowed fewer than 23 points per game. That changes t

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