Everything You Need to Know About TCU, North Carolina THIS Saturday as Bill Belichick Meets Hot Seat

The 2026 college football season kicks off with an international spotlight this Saturday as the TCU Horned Frogs and North Carolina Tar Heels square off in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. This high-profile Week Zero matchup serves as the back-half of a home-and-home series, following TCU's dominant 48-14 blowout victory in Chapel Hill last season. However, both programs arrive across the Atlantic with entirely revamped offensive identities, introducing significant intrigue to the international opener. North Carolina enters Year 2 under legendary head coach Bill Belichick looking to erase the memory of a difficult 4-8 debut campaign. To spark an offense that struggled mightily last year, Belichick brought in veteran coordinator Bobby Petrino. The Tar Heels will turn to transfer quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. to run the show. With a heavily reconstructed offensive line and 31 new portal additions on the roster, UNC desperately needs to establish early continuity and avoid the crippling turnovers that plagued them a season ago. Meanwhile, TCU transitions into a new era under center after multi-year starter Josh Hoover departed for the Ivy League via the portal. The Horned Frogs hand the keys to former Harvard standout Jaden Craig, an elite FCS dual-threat producer stepping up to the Power Four level. Under new offensive coordinator Gordon Sammis, TCU features a massive, experienced offensive line boasting nearly 100 combined starts, designed to anchor a physical ground game and protect their new signal-caller. Oddsmakers currently list TCU as a 7.5-point favorite, expecting their returning defensive continuity under Andy Avalos to control the pace. If North Carolina hopes to spoil the party in their first-ever game outside the United States, Edwards and Petrino must exploit a TCU secondary that surrendered chunk plays late last fall. Expect a hard-fought, physical battle as both teams fight to set the tone for their respective autumn campaigns. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! KALSHI For a limited time, Download the Kalshi app and use code [LOCKEDON] to get $10 when you trade $10. . Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast. Wayfair Patio season is here and these deals won’t last! Head to https://wayfair.com right now to get your outdoor space ready for way less. Wayfair. Every style. Every home. LARINECO Give Larine a try. Right now, Larine Co is offering our listeners up to 50% off at https://BUYLARINE.com/LOCKEDONCOLLEGE. Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon. 5-Hour ENERGY Bring on the sweetness with Cotton Candy 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots—available online now at https:/5hourENERGY.com or on Amazon. Gametime Today's episode is brought to you by Gametime. Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONfor $20 off your first purchase. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COMto play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on who’s hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.