This Saturday, the North Carolina Tar Heels and TCU Horned Frogs will meet in a “Week 0” college football matchup that’s full of intrigue, history, and whimsy. North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick has hit the portal once again to bring in quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. in hopes of reversing last year’s blowout loss to the Horned Frogs during opening week.
This game will be played at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. Kickoff is set for 5:00 pm local time, which translates to noon Eastern Time on Saturday. TCU will take the field this weekend as significant favorites, as prediction markets have the Horned Frogs pegged with a spread of -7.5 points.
With over $320,000 already traded on this game via Kalshi, it’s no surprise that TCU contracts are going for 75¢ each. Those contracts will be worth exactly one dollar if the Horned Frogs win as expected.
Last year, North Carolina drove the length of the field in its opening drive against TCU to take an early 7-0 lead. Local fans cheered with delight, Michael Jordan clapped from the luxury boxes, and then the rest of the game happened. TCU ultimately won that game by a score of 48-14, and the Tar Heels went on to finish with a 4-8 record.
We’re looking for a repeat thrashing in favor of TCU this Saturday in Ireland. Just like last year, rumors surrounding the North Carolina sideline and front office are swirling. The Bill Belichick era with the Tar Heels is nothing like what we saw during his time with the New England Patriots.
Have you heard that UNC has hired outside counsel to investigate its general manager, Michael Lombardi? The so-called architect of molding the Tar Heels into a “33rd NFL team” has been placed on administrative leave as fans and media outlets alike wonder what other grim tidings might befall the team in terms of off-the-field activities.
The digital editorial pages of USA Today put it succinctly last month when it stated that “North Carolina football wanted a splash. It got a shipwreck.” By all accounts, Bill Belichick is a championship-caliber coach who will eventually be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame due to the success he had as an NFL coach. That success hasn’t translated to winning at the college level, though.
North Carolina is projected to be near the bottom of the ACC once the college football season ends. Most forecasters think it’s unlikely that the Tar Heels will qualify for a bowl game.
Pro traders will be tuning in to the coverage of Saturday’s Week 0 contest on ESPN. Look for the Kalshi market to break heavily in favor of the Horned Frogs if they open with a 7-0 lead over the Tar Heels in the first quarter.
For individuals looking for a side market that involves UNC head football coach Bill Belichick and his main squeeze, Jordon Hudson, there’s a separate “marriage before 2027” market that has fallen off a cliff since peaking at 32% in October.
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