Billy Edwards Jr. threw for 232 yards, Jaylen McGill scored North Carolina’s only touchdown and the Tar Heels edged TCU 15-10 for a season-opening win Saturday in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland.
Most of the game’s scoring occurred in the first quarter before a growing rainfall led to deteriorated conditions the rest of the night. North Carolina held TCU to 312 yards of offense and 1 of 5 fourth-down conversions as it began Bill Belichick’s second season in charge with a win.
The Tar Heels (1-0) got a measure of revenge after TCU beat them 48-14 in Belichick’s college coaching debut last year.
The Horned Frogs (0-1) also hurt themselves with 11 penalties for 100 yards. With the Tar Heels facing a fourth-and-1 in the final minute, they used a hard count and caused a TCU defender to jump offsides, prompting a new set of downs and icing the defensive affair.
Both starting quarterbacks made their debuts with their respective programs. Edwards completed 16 of 28 passes, while TCU’s Jaden Craig went 20 for 32 for 175 yards. Jeremy Payne rumbled for 142 yards on 25 carries for the Horned Frogs.
Nursing a five-point lead after Aeron Burrell’s 28-yard field goal early in the second half, the Tar Heels chewed up nearly six minutes on a 70-yard drive, boosted by consecutive 15-yard TCU penalties on a facemask and a late hit.
But Edwards overthrew Jordan Shipp on a would-be touchdown on third down, and Burrell pushed a 42-yard attempt wide with 11:58 to play.
Craig led TCU on its longest drive of the day — 15 plays, 66 yards and 7:53 of game time. But on fourth-and-2 from UNC’s 10, Craig overthrew Jeremy Scott in the end zone.
UNC had a productive opening drive until it stalled out in the red zone, leading to Burrell’s 20-yard field goal. TCU responded in kind on a 31-yarder by Kyle Lemmermann.
TCU christened the end zone first when Jon Denman punched it in from the 2. But UNC responded before the end of the first quarter, traveling 70 yards in 2:56 as McGill tied it on his 9-yard touchdown run.
Late in a slow second quarter, a TCU snap sailed over the head of punter John Hoyet Chance, who turned and booted the loose ball out of the end zone for a safety. UNC got possession but couldn’t capitalize as Trech Kekahuna fumbled a reception in the rain.
