Bill Belichick Celebrates First Ranked Win with North Carolina
The North Carolina coach expressed visible pleasure and even cracked a joke after securing a road victory against No. 25 Pittsburgh.
Bill Belichick secured his first victory over a ranked opponent as the coach of North Carolina on Saturday, leading the Tar Heels to a 21-17 road win against No. 25 Pittsburgh.
The 74-year-old coach appeared visibly pleased following the game, offering a more open demeanor than typically seen during his NFL tenure. In a postgame interview on the field at Acrisure Stadium, Belichick shared a lighthearted moment when discussing a rough patch for quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. in the third quarter.
"I thought the first quarter was worse," Belichick said with a laugh and a grin. "Yeah, we just kept hanging in there. We made a couple of big plays, and they made a couple, too. They’re a good football team."
The win brings North Carolina's record to 3-2 and marks what is arguably the most significant victory of Belichick's season and a half coaching at the college level. Edwards finished the game completing 19 of 24 passes for 249 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. The Tar Heels' defense contributed with two interceptions of its own.
Looking ahead, Belichick used one of his signature phrases from his time with the Patriots when asked about the team's next steps. "You know, just get ready for Duke," he stated.
North Carolina is scheduled to host Duke next Saturday. Duke enters the matchup undefeated at 4-0, having played Georgia Tech on Saturday. A victory against Duke would match North Carolina's win total from the previous season.