Leading up to the 2025 college football season, it's hard to actually predict how Bill Belichick will fare in his first season as the head coach of the UNC football program.
Sure, his NFL resume speaks for itself, as he's a Hall of Fame coach with six Super Bowl rings to prove it. In the same token, Belichick has never coached at the collegiate level, as it remains to be seen if he can continue his coaching success at North Carolina.
Sporting News ranked the top 135 coaches leading up to the 2025 season, a list we're glad we didn't have to make! Bill Bender believes that Belichick is a top-20 coach, placing him at No. 18 on the list.
Here's what Bender had to say on the Tar Heels head coach:
"Lowdown: We're splitting the difference here because we're intrigued to see how Belichick makes the X's and O's adjustments on the field for the Tar Heels. Brown was ranked No. 21 on this list last season. Will the offseason drama spill into the regular season? This feels like the right spot for Belichick – one spot ahead of the elder statesman of FBS coaches."
Last year, Mack Brown ranked No. 21 on the list, as Belichick is considered a slight improvement based on the rankings. His preseason ranking goes to show that many believe his success will translate to the college level, even though there's no sample to base it off of.
It's tricky because, as much as you want to rank Belichick high on the list due to his stature, you have to consider the other variables that come into play. There are quite a few head coaches who have been successful at this level for quite some time, rightfully earning their spot among the top 15-20 coaches on the list.
In opposite fashion, let's say in a hypothetical world that Kirby Smart got hired by an NFL team and was ranked higher than a guy like Belichick who has quite the resume at that level.
The UNC football program hopes that Belichick is the guy to lead them in the right direction, as elite status is brewing on their minds. North Carolina wants to be a College Football Playoff contender, as they believe there's no better guy to lead that charge than Belichick himself.