North Carolina Secures Bill Belichick's First ACC Win Over Syracuse

Bill Belichick secured his first Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) win as North Carolina's head coach with a 27-10 victory over Syracuse, breaking a four-game losing streak for the Tar Heels. The team overcame a slow start, trailing 10-6 at halftime, by outscoring Syracuse 14-0 in the third quarter and maintaining strong defensive pressure to hold the Orange to just 147 total yards. Key performances included Demon June, who contributed two touchdowns and nearly 200 yards of offense, and quarterback Gio Lopez, who threw two touchdown passes with efficient accuracy. Syracuse's offense struggled, with true freshman walk-on quarterback Joseph Filardi completing only 4 of 18 passes for 39 yards. The win improves North Carolina to 3-5 overall and 1-3 in ACC play, keeping their slim bowl eligibility hopes alive with four games remaining. Despite recent close losses and challenges, Belichick's team showed signs of progress and resilience in this important conference victory.