Bill Belichick’s UNC team doesn’t qualify for a bowl game

North Carolina State’s Struggles Under Belichick

It seems the dreams of North Carolina State joining the national conversation as a contender, well, those are fading fast.

2025 was supposed to be a promising year for the team, you know, especially with Bill Belichick—famous for his eight Super Bowl rings—taking the helm. But, reality check: Belichick couldn’t even lead them to a bowl game in his inaugural season. After a tough 32-25 loss to Duke over the weekend, hopes are looking dim.

Sure, there’s a slim chance they could still make a bowl game with a 5-7 record, depending on how many teams manage to finish at 6-6. But honestly, that feels like a long shot, especially since they would need a win in their final matchup against North Carolina State next week.

Belichick, post-game, expressed frustration about the performance, saying, “We made too many mistakes, we made too many bad plays and obviously we had too many penalties. That’s the story. I don’t have much to add to this.” It just seems… well, disappointing, doesn’t it?

During the fourth quarter, things got tense. The Blue Devils aimed for a 45-yard field goal to take the lead, but instead, they switched it up and faked the kick. Anderson Castle took the ball for a 1-yard touchdown, enabling Duke to go ahead by seven. Quite the twist, really.

For UNC, Gio Lopez managed to rack up 204 passing yards and 20 rushing yards, adding two touchdowns, but overall, it was just another setback in what has been a rocky season for Belichick as he navigates his first year in college football.

Off-the-field events have also been a distraction. After the Nov. 8 game against Stanford, reports surfaced about a significant confrontation between Belichick’s daughter-in-law and player Jordon Hudson in a private setting. And then there were those times Belichick felt the need to publicly affirm his dedication to UNC, particularly when rumors about a potential move back to the Giants came up.

Looking ahead, it seems Belichick is set to return for a second season, as he hinted. But honestly, heading into the offseason, their odds of clinching a bowl game appear quite bleak.