 North Carolina Tar Heels |
27 |
 Syracuse Orange |
10 |
| Final | |
North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick, right, calls a timeout during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Syracuse Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
North Carolina coach Bill Belichick earned his first Atlantic Coast Conference victory and first win over a power-conference opponent Friday night behind a dominant second-half performance by his Tar Heels at Syracuse.
Freshman running back Demon June had two third-quarter touchdowns for the Tar Heels, who snapped a four-game losing streak in a 27-10 victory over an overmatched Syracuse team that started a freshman walk-on at quarterback.
The NFL coaching legend won six Super Bowl titles as head coach of the New England Patriots, but success eluded him early in the season. UNC (3-5 overall, 1-3 in the ACC) had been 0-5 against power-conference opponents in Belichick’s first season in Chapel Hill.
“The guys just keep grinding,” Belichick said on ESPN after the win. “I thought our conditioning really helped us. We were able to take over in the fourth quarter. Kind of ran the ball when they knew we were going to run it.”
North Carolina has looked better in recent weeks after suffering three blowout defeats in their first three games against power-conference foes, but the Tar Heels came up just short in losses at Cal and at home against a ranked Virginia team.
UNC trailed 10-6 at halftime, despite outgaining Syracuse 208-71 in the first two quarters, but June scored on a 73-yard screen pass on the Tar Heels’ first play of the second half to put them ahead. It was the first time all season that UNC has led in the second half against a power conference opponent.
June scored on a five-yard run late in the third quarter, capping a 12-play, 80-yard drive where UNC established itself on the ground against Syracuse’s poor run defense. June finished with 101 yards rushing and 81 yards receiving.
“We made a lot of plays with the ball in our hands,” Belichick said during his on-field postgame interview. “We made some yards after the catch and after we had the first hit.”
The Tar Heels added another touchdown on a 21-yard pass from quarterback Gio Lopez to receiver Jordan Shipp early in the fourth quarter. The score came after defensive end Melkart Abou Jaoude chased down Syracuse quarterback Joe Filardi and forced a fumble that was recovered by UNC’s Smith Vilbert.
The defense allowed just three points and had three sacks.
“Good team win,” Belichick said. “Good to be on track.”
UNC dominated statistically in the first half, but still trailed at halftime thanks to red-zone issues and a costly fumble that was returned for a touchdown.
The Tar Heels, plagued by trouble near the opposing end zone all season, settled for a field goal after moving the ball to the Syracuse 1 in the first quarter. UNC committed a false start penalty on fourth-and-goal, forcing the Tar Heels to settle for a 24-yard field goal from Rece Verhoff. Receiver Kobe Paysour had a 50-yard catch-and-run to get UNC to the Syracuse 3.
On UNC’s next drive, wide receiver Shamar Easter fumbled on a hit by Devin Grant. Syracuse’s Anwar Sparrow picked up the ball and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown to give the Orange a 7-3 lead.
Syracuse added a field goal early in the second quarter, and Verhoff answered with a 43-yard field goal in the final minute of the half.
Syracuse (3-6, 1-5) has lost five consecutive games, coinciding with a season-ending injury to starting quarterback Steve Angeli. Filardi, a lacrosse standout, struggled badly in his first start. He completed 1-of-11 passes in the first half and finished 4-of-18 for 39 yards.
Lopez passed for a season-high 216 yards and had two touchdowns. He completed 15-of-19 passes and rushed for 33 yards.
“I thought Gio picked up some key third downs for us with his running, even though it wasn’t for big numbers,” Belichick said on ESPN. “It was for five [yards] when we needed four.”
The Tar Heels don’t leave North Carolina for the final four games of the regular season. UNC hosts Stanford before finishing at Wake Forest, vs. Duke and at NC State. The Tar Heels need three victories to achieve bowl eligibility in Belichick’s first season.
North Carolina quarterback Gio Lopez, left, throws while pressured by Syracuse linebacker Gary Bryant III, right, during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, in Syracuse, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Scoring summary
First quarter
UNC – Rece Verhoff 24 kick, 7:59. Drive: 7 plays, 51 yards, 3:20. Key play: Quarterback Gio Lopez connected with receiver Kobe Paysour on a 50-yard catch and run, moving the ball to the Syracuse 3. But UNC couldn’t convert and had a false start on fourth-and-goal from the 1. UNC 3, Syracuse 0.
SU – Anwar Sparrow 51 fumble return, 4:38. No drive. Key play: Sparrow picked up a fumble by North Carolina receiver Shamar Easter after a two-yard catch across the middle and returned it for a touchdown. Devin Grant forced the fumble. Syracuse 7, UNC 3.
Second quarter
SU – Tripp Woody 31 field goal, 12:17. Drive: 13 plays, 50 yards, 5:41. Key play: North Carolina committed a face mask penalty on a sack on third-and-10 at the UNC 17 to give the Orange another chance. Syracuse 10, North Carolina 3.
UNC – Verhoff 43 field goal, 0:36. Drive: 8 plays, 67 yards, 4:05. Key play: Running back Demon June rushed for 44 yards up the middle to move the Tar Heels into Syracuse territory. Syracuse 10, North Carolina 6.
Third quarter
UNC – June 72 pass from Gio Lopez (Verhoff kick), 13:26. Drive: 1 play, 72 yards, 0:13. Key play: June took a screen pass from Lopez, and Syracuse couldn’t tackle him. North Carolina 13, Syracuse 10.
UNC – June 5 run (Verhoff kick), 0:08. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 7:10. Key play: Lopez completed a 14-yard pass to Paysour on third-and-15, and June picked up a first down on fourth-and-1. North Carolina 20, Syracuse 10.
Fourth quarter
UNC – Jordan Shipp 21 pass from Lopez (Verhoff kick), 10:35. Drive: 4 plays, 34 yards, 2:18. Key play: Defensive end Melkart Abou Jaoude chased down Syracuse QB Joe Filardi and forced a fumble that was recovered by UNC’s Smith Vilbert at the Syracuse 34. North Carolina 27, Syracuse 10.
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