The Bill Belichick era at North Carolina begins on Labor Day when he leads the North Carolina Tar Heels against the TCU Horned Frogs in the teams’ season opener at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C.
The 73-year-old Belichick famously teamed up with quarterback Tom Brady to win six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. After the Patriots went 4-13 in the 2023 season, Belichick and the organization mutually agreed to part ways. On Dec. 11, he was announced as the new coach of the Tar Heels, earning the nickname Chapel Bill.
Belichick inherits a program that has taken a back seat to its more popular men’s basketball team. North Carolina hasn’t won an ACC football title since 1980 and went 6-7 last year in Mack Brown’s final season. Belichick has overhauled the roster, which features more than 70 new players. One of those is Gio Lopez, a dual-threat quarterback who accounted for 25 touchdowns (18 passing and seven rushing) in 11 games last year at South Alabama.
On Labor Day, North Carolina will face a Horned Frogs team that ended last season on a roll. Behind prolific quarterback Josh Hoover and an improving defense, TCU won six of its last seven games, including its last four, capped by a 34-3 victory over Louisiana in the New Mexico Bowl.
Hoover, who passed for a single-season program record 3,949 yards last year, is back. However the team’s top three receivers from last season, who combined for 179 receptions for 2,378 yards and 17 touchdowns, are all off in the NFL.
While Belichick’s UNC debut is the marquee attraction on the sporting landscape on Labor Day, there are other options on a 13-game MLB slate and a three-game WNBA lineup.
Below is a snapshot of what to watch and bet for Labor Day, Sept. 1. All times Eastern
College football best bets, where to watch
TCU at North Carolina
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Chapel Hill, N.C. | TV: ESPN | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: North Carolina +144 | Expert: TCU -3.5 (Bruce Marshall)
With more than 70 new players on the roster in the first season under Belichick, the Tar Heels are an unknown commodity. TCU is much easier to get a read on; the Horned Frogs enter the season as a borderline top 25 team. On offense, they bring back Hoover and three starters on the line, but they need to replace their top receivers and running backs. On defense, six starters are back from a unit that allowed just 14.3 points and 318.8 yards per game over its last four contests. “Perhaps Belichick has the element of surprise working in his favor, but [I] would rather ride the battle-tested Frogs and their familiar QB than take a shot with Belichick and his QB, Gio Lopez, who didn’t arrive from South Alabama until after spring practices,” Marshall says.
MLB best bets, where to watch
Phillies at Brewers
Time: 4:10 p.m. | Location: Milwaukee | TV: MLBN | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Brewers money line -154 | Expert: Christian Yelich to hit a home run +500 (Jake Fetner)
The teams with the two best records in the National League open a three-game series when the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers collide on Labor Day at American Family Field. The Brewers (85-53) own the best record in baseball and lead the NL Central by 6½ games over the Cubs. Meanwhile the Phillies (79-58) lead the NL East by six games over the Mets. Monday’s pitching matchup features Milwaukee phenom Jacob Misiorowski (4-2, 4.33 ERA) facing Philadelphia veteran Taijuan Walker (4-7, 3.63). The SportsLine Projection Model says the Brewers have a 58.0% chance to win and gives a “C” grade to Milwaukee money line (-154). Meanwhile Fetner notes that Yelich has an .884 OPS against right-handed pitching this season and is 5-for-10 with a home run in his career against Walker. “If you’re going to target a Phillies pitcher for a HR prop, Walker is the one,” Fetner says. “He’s had a HR/9 rate near 2.0 since last season.”
Rangers at Diamondbacks
Time: 8:10 p.m. | Location: Phoenix | TV: MLBN | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine picks — Model: Rangers money line +128 | Expert: Rangers money line +130 (Bruce Marshall)
The Rangers will look to stay hot and continue their playoff push when they open a three-game series on Monday against the Diamondbacks. The Rangers (71-67) have won five in a row and have reduced their deficit in the American League West to 4½ games behind the Astros. Texas trails the Mariners by 2½ games for the third and final AL wild card playoff berth. Meanwhile the Diamondbacks (68-70) are 5½ games behind the Mets for the final wild card spot in the NL. On Monday, Texas’ Patrick Corbin (7-9, 4.33) takes on Arizona’s Ryne Nelson (7-3, 3.53). Both the SportsLine Projection Model and Marshall like the Rangers on the money line. Marshall notes that Nelson had a 4.60 ERA in five August starts, and the Diamondbacks have lost four of his last six outings.
More MLB best bets
WNBA best bets, where to watch
Wings at Lynx
Time: 8 p.m. | Location: Minneapolis | TV: NBA TV | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
SportsLine expert pick: Wings +17 (Calvin Wetzel and Aaron Barzilai)
The league-leading Lynx look to maintain their momentum when they host Paige Bueckers and the Wings on Monday at the Target Center. The Lynx (31-8) already have clinched the No. 1 overall seed and home court advantage throughout the WNBA playoffs, Meanwhile the Wings (9-31) have the worst record in the league and have lost seven in a row. However, Wetzel and Barzilai like Dallas to cover against a Minnesota team that may have one eye pointed to the playoffs. “Look for live betting opportunities as well,” they say. “The live line may creep into the 20s if the Lynx starters play well, but if they go to their bench earlier than usual, that would be a good time to buy in on Dallas.”
More WNBA picks
- Sparks +6.5 (Wetzel and Barzilai)
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