An American flag covers the playing field at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte. Photo source: Openverse
A North Carolina college and pro football preview
High-level football in North Carolina experienced many peaks and many valleys this past season. From Belichick’s woes in Chapel Hill to the Panthers having their most successful season in a decade, things certainly got very interesting. These teams’ futures seem to be looking up, and many of them will make waves this season.
NC State
The NC State Wolfpack looks to continue their winning ways this season.
NC State is coming off the heels of an 8-5 season, ending in a Gasparilla Bowl win. They’ve lost key production, including their rushing leader, top offensive lineman, and most of their receiver room.
The Wolfpack’s season rests on the shoulders of one man: star QB CJ Bailey. Bailey’s 6’6 frame makes him an effective runner in short yardage situations. Combine that with his deep-ball accuracy and he will be an effective dual threat this year. Despite a rough Week 0 outing at Virginia, Bailey will still be the one of the best QBs in the conference.
NC State has the 66th hardest schedule in the nation according to ESPN’s FPI, with notable games against #24 Louisville, Florida State, and California. The Wolfpack’s projected win total is 7.5, and they were picked to finish 7th in the ACC in the conference’s preseason poll.
UNC
Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels need to bounce back from their abysmal 2025 , where they finished 4-8 despite the sky-high expectations placed on them after the Belichick hire.
The Tar Heels brought in Billy Edwards Jr. from Wisconsin to be their starting QB and retained their top WR Jordan Shipp. They also brought in the 19th best recruiting class, per 247’s composite rankings.
This will be a make-or-break year for the Belichick experiment in Chapel Hill, as his seat is among the hottest in College Football. UNC’s defensive clinic against TCU in Ireland showed flashes of Belichick’s once-famed defenses of the Patriots.
North Carolina has the 29th hardest schedule, per ESPN’s FPI, with notable matchups against #4 Notre Dame, #7 Miami and #24 Louisville. The Heels were ranked 15th in the ACC Preseason Poll, and have an expected win total of 4.5, which is embarrassingly low for a team that was top 10 in the nation as recently as 2023.
Duke
Duke will look to repeat as ACC champs this season after an offseason that was nearly as wild as their season itself.
The Blue Devils’ offseason was marked by the controversial loss of stars Darian Mensah and Cooper Barkate. Mensah, who came second in the NCAA in both passing yards and TDs, was locked into a two-year NIL contract with Duke. He was entering the second year of this contract, but Miami managed to lure him away with $6.5 million in cash and further incentives reaching over $10 million in value.
Barkate, who was ninth in the NCAA in receiving yards, also transferred to Miami. Duke brought in San Jose State QB Walker Eget to replace Mensah, but he’s a steep downgrade.
Duke has the 49th hardest schedule in the nation, with big games against #7 Miami, CFP participant Tulane, and Clemson. Duke’s preseason win total is 5.5, and are predicted to finish 10th in conference.
Panthers
The Carolina Panthers have a bright future ahead of them. Last year, they won the NFC South for the first time in a decade and made the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
The Panthers lost running back Rico Dowdle in free agency, but added premier edge rusher Jaelan Phillips and linebacker Devin Lloyd, who had 5 interceptions last year.
The Panthers will look for quarterback Bryce Young and Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan to improve on their breakout seasons. If it happens, McMillan could be the Panthers’ star receiver for years to come.
Carolina competes in a weak NFC South, but it will still be competitive. They will need to protect their division crown from an exciting young Saints team, experienced Bucs, and an Atlanta squad full of players desperate to prove their value in the league.
The true tests for the Panthers will come in games against a stingy Broncos defense, a Bears team primed to make a run, and the reigning Super Bowl champ Seattle Seahawks.
