Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi is setting high expectations for Bill Belichick’s North Carolina tenure.
Narduzzi complimented Belichick’s career on Wednesday at ACC media days and joked that he expected to face the Tar Heels for a spot in the College Football Playoff at the end of the season.
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“I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t have success,” Narduzzi said of Belichick. “I don’t have a crystal ball, I’m no genius over here. He’s a heck of a football coach. But it takes players and it takes coaches. It takes a program together, it takes everyone moving in the same direction … I expect them to be in the [ACC] championship game against Pitt this year.”
Belichick was hired ahead of the 2025 season after North Carolina parted ways with Mack Brown. It’s the first college coaching job for the former New England Patriots coach after he had spent the entirety of his career in the NFL.
The Tar Heels went 6-7 in 2024 after losing their bowl game and haven’t won an ACC title since 1980. Pitt, meanwhile, won the 2021 ACC title with Kenny Pickett under center.
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Neither team is a favorite to win the conference in 2025. Pitt started the season 7-0 — and beat North Carolina 34-24 in that stretch — but lost its last five games of the season before losing the GameAbove Sports Bowl in six overtimes to Toledo.
UNC’s odds to make the ACC title game are +1000 at BetMGM while Pitt’s are +1600. Clemson is -175 to appear in the title game, while Miami is favored to be the Tigers’ opponent at +125.
The Belichick question in Narduzzi’s media scrum wasn’t the only one Narduzzi fielded on Wednesday. He was even asked about Belichick at the end of his main news conference and had a question back for the reporter who made the Belichick inquiry.
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“Is this a Pitt question, or is this a North Carolina question? Bill Belichick, one of the greatest coaches to ever coach the game,” Narduzzi said. “Won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots. I’ve enjoyed conversations with him, whether it be at Amelia Island or in Zoom calls with ACC coaches. He’s a tremendous football coach, really smart.
“Again, he adds a lot of flavor and excitement to the ACC. When you look at Bill Belichick coming to the Atlantic Coast Conference, it just tells you how attractive our conference is.”
