Bill Belichick and North Carolina Suffer Early Setback Against Clemson

Bill Belichick's second season at North Carolina has suffered an early setback following a challenging defeat to Clemson. The manner of Saturday's loss at Memorial Stadium has quickly intensified criticism surrounding the veteran coach.

The Tar Heels initially appeared to be in control for much of the opening half, taking a comfortable 17-6 lead into the break. Instead of finishing the job, however, UNC was outscored 22-3 after halftime as Clemson completed a strong comeback to win 28-20.

The game was already unusual before the final whistle due to a lengthy weather delay that meant the contest lasted nearly six hours. Neither the stoppage nor the difficult weather conditions could change the fact that North Carolina had established a significant advantage before failing to protect it.

The defeat leaves the coaching staff with critical adjustments to make moving forward.