North Carolina football walked into a sold out crowd anxiously ready to launch the Bill Belichick era. He fired off some early fireworks via Caleb Hood against TCU.

The Tar Heels opened the game with a famed Belichick formation the two-tight end set. Gio Lopez then shredded TCU with a combined 58 passing yards on back-to-back plays. But Hood capped the drive by powering into the end zone on this run:

The ESPN cameras immediately went straight to Belichick on the sideline to get his reaction. Belichick gave a famed response reminiscent of his NFL past: The blank stare.

UNC, though, fired up the Kenan Stadium crowd on a seven-play, 83-yard drive to take the early 7-0 lead.

North Carolina sparks reactions for first Bill Belichick TD by Caleb Hood

North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick on the field before the game at Kenan Stadium.
Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Social media became ablaze with Belichick reactions before the game. They ignited further after the Hood touchdown.

Famed Tar Heels legend Michael Jordan showed a more stoic side. With Fox Sports College Football capturing the image of “His Airness” in the booth.

Jordan joined a plethora of UNC legends for Belichick's debut. Ranging from Mia Hamm, Lawrence Taylor (who won two Super Bowls with Belichick via the New York Giants), Julius Peppers to even Belichick's former New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss taking in the action.

But Chris Vannini of The Athletic reacted to the masterclass of that opening drive.

“North Carolina makes that look easy. Bullied TCU at the line and Gio Lopez delivered some dimes. The Belichick era can't start better than that,” Vannini said on X.

Inside Carolina was another impressed by the early Belichick/UNC TD.

“Whew. That’s how you start a season. Caleb Hood 8-yard TD run out of the pistol. Gio Lopez hit Jordan Shipp for 39 and 19 yards on the 7-play, 83-yard drive. Roy Williams clapping his approval beside Michael Jordan. Tar Heels lead 7-0 and are averaging 11.9 yards per play,” they wrote on X.

Millions of CFB fans eagerly anticipated how Belichick's first game would flow. Even Belichick's old pal Nick Saban dropped his take as an attendee of the event.

UNC and Belichick immediately won over the sea of Tar Heel blue and white. But UNC settled for the 7-7 tie to end the first quarter.

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