It wasn’t often that Bill Belichick was an underdog during his NFL coaching days. That’s not the case now that he’s in his second year as UNC’s head coach.
With that in mind, his Tar Heels have my attention for college football Week 3.
And when it comes to underdogs in NFL Week 2, you might be surprised that I’m backing the Jets against the Packers.
Let’s dive into it.
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Bill Belichick 3-0 to start the season?
For all the turmoil the Tar Heels endured this offseason — and frankly, since Belichick took over as head coach in December 2024 — UNC has a chance Saturday to notch its third win of the young season.
Former general manager Michael Lombardi resigned a couple of weeks ago, and Belichick’s son, defensive coordinator Steve Belichick, is on medical leave from the team as rumors swirl about conduct in the building.
However, on the field, UNC started the season with an upset victory over TCU, followed by a 35-3 win over East Tennessee St.
Will “Chapel Bill” strike again in Week 3? (DeFodi Images/Getty Images)
This week, the Tar Heels draw a Clemson team that has gotten off to an underwhelming start in 2026 and will star backup quarterback Tait Reynolds. Not only is Reynolds a backup, but he is a 19-year-old true freshman.
Oddsmakers expect very few points in this one. With an Over/Under set at 43.5, it’s the second-lowest total on the board this week, with only Wyoming and Central Michigan (39.5) lower.
In what could be an ugly, low-scoring game, I will defer to the experience and defensive wisdom of Bill Belichick. I expect him to show the young Reynolds things he’s never seen in terms of coverage and blitz packages. Clemson has seen better days as a program, and I think “Chapel Bill” pulls off the upset on Saturday.
Hill’s Pick: UNC moneyline (+145)
The last time the Jets started 2-0 (in football, at least) was 2015, when Todd Bowles was the Jets’ head coach and Ryan Fitzpatrick was the quarterback.
Over a decade later, the Jets host the Packers in Week 2 with a chance to be the surprise story of the early season.
The Packers lost their last five games of the 2025 regular season, lost again in the playoffs after blowing an 18-point lead, and are now 0-1 to start 2026 after coughing up yet another double-digit lead in Week 1 against the Vikings.
Geno Smith will lead the charge as the Jets try to pull the upset over the Packers (Justin Ford/Getty Images).
The Jets throttled the Titans in Week 1, winning 23-10 and holding the Titans to three points and just over 100 yards of total offense, until a garbage-time touchdown in the final minutes.
The Jets look much improved from last year, and I’ll take them to upset a Packers team that seems to have a real problem closing out games.
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