The North Carolina Tar Heels have one final chance to salvage their disappointing football season. That opportunity will come Saturday night, as UNC makes the short trip southeast to Raleigh for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff against NC State.
Not only will North Carolina (4-7, 2-5 ACC) look to snap its 2-game losing streak this season, but a 4-game slide against the Wolfpack (6-5, 3-4 ACC). The Tar Heels last beat their greatest football rival in 2020, when Javonte Williams ran for three touchdowns in a 48-21 domination.
Bill Belichick will also coach against NC State for the first time. Naturally, after UNC’s bowl-eliminating loss to Duke last Saturday, Belichick was asked about his knowledge of the annual, season-ending rivalry game.
“I’m not, like, real smart,” Belichick said. “But I’ve learned that pretty quick. I understand the rivalry.”
Belichick has plenty of rivals from his time dominating the NFL, so the Wolfpack are nothing new to him. NC State gave North Carolina bulletin-board material during the offseason, when CJ Bailey and Hollywood Smothers decided to run their mouths.
The Wolfpack have every right to talk, as this Thanksgiving Weekend rivalry clash is completely one-sided since COVID became a thing. After the Tar Heels lost in Kenan Stadium last year, J.J. Jones took NC State’s flag and launched it towards the sidelines.
With all the offseason hype and attention UNC garnered, you’d think a bowl game is in play at least. After a series of blowout losses and a couple, closer-than-expected victories, North Carolina can at least end its season with an exclamation point in the City of Oaks.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Bill Belichick says he ‘quickly learned’ the UNC-NCSU football rivalry
