College Football has officially kicked off, and with it came one of the most anticipated debuts of the season. It didn’t happen on the field, but rather on the sidelines — with none other than Bill Belichick at the center of it all. The new North Carolina Tar Heels head coach suffered a tough loss to the TCU Horned Frogs, though the legendary NFL coach has faced similar setbacks in the past.
The stunning 48–14 loss in Chapel Hill not only delivered a harsh blow to a program with serious aspirations, but it’s also shaping up to be one of the most crushing defeats in recent memory.
While Belichick may be considered one of the greatest in his field in the history of the sport, it’s clear that adapting to the college game is a very different challenge compared to the NFL.
As the weeks go by, it remains to be seen whether this was just an early stumble — or if greater adjustments will be needed to deliver better results.
A tough loss in the NFL
Belichick’s legacy with the New England Patriots is well known — a historic run filled with countless titles and unmatched success. That said, what was his biggest loss as a head coach in the NFL?
In 2022, the Bills delivered what many called “The Perfect Offensive Game” against Bill Belichick and his Patriots during the Wild Card round of the playoffs. The 47–17 blowout ranked among New England’s three most devastating losses of the 21st century — all of which, notably, came at the hands of their division rivals, the Bills.
However, Belichick’s toughest loss as a head coach came in 2023, when the current UNC HC suffered a crushing 38–3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Remarkably, as a head coach, he has trailed by 34 or more points in only four of his 511 games. Here are Belichick’s worst defeats as a head coach:
- 1) 2023: Dallas Cowboys 38, New England Patriots 3
- T-2) 2025: TCU 48, North Carolina 14
- T-2) 2023: New Orleans Saints 34, New England Patriots 0
- 3) 2003: Buffalo Bills 31, New England Patriots 0
- 4) 2021: Buffalo Bills 47, New England Patriots 17
Rough start in Chapel Hill
North Carolina’s debut in the new NCAAF season was anything but what fans had hoped for. In fact, it marked a few historic statistical lows for this prestigious program.
The Tar Heels allowed the most points ever in a season opener, surpassing the 41 given up to Oklahoma in 2001, and suffered their worst loss margin since September 27, 2018, against Miami — a night that now shares company with one of the most forgettable performances in program history.