North Carolina opens Bill Belichick's second season with 15-10 win over TCU in Ireland

DUBLIN (AP) — New North Carolina quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. threw for 232 yards, Aeron Burrell kicked two field goals and the Tar Heels opened coach Bill Belichick’s second season with a 15-10 win over TCU on a rainy Saturday in Ireland for the Aer Lingus Classic.

TCU didn’t score again after going up 10-3 on its first two drives. The Horned Frogs got the ball eight more times, and were stopped on fourth-and-short deep in Tar Heels territory on their last two drives.

The 74-year-old Belichick, who won six Super Bowls coaching the New England Patriots, was 4-8 in his college debut with the Tar Heels last year. That season began with a 48-14 home loss to TCU in prime time on Labor Day.

“I’m just happy for the players. They’ve worked really hard,” Belichick said. “To have positive results back up that hard work, reinforces it. I think they've been believing in what we're doing, but I think this just gives everybody a little bit more belief and we've just got to keep building.”

The Tar Heels ran out the final 4:05 after new TCU quarterback Jaden Craig threw an incompletion when rolling left on fourth-and-2 from the 10, when the Harvard transfer may have been able to run for a first down. Craig finished 20-of-32 passing for 175 yards.

Jeremy Payne, who ran for 142 yards, was stuffed on fourth-and-1 from the 5 on TCU's previous drive.

“Looking back now obviously, I wish we had kicked the two field goals, but at the time, it makes sense to try,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. “When you’re not moving the football, you’ve got to try to get the ball in the end zone.”

After Payne was stopped, the Frogs got the ball for the last time after North Carolina had a 13-play drive that ended with Burrell missing a 42-yard field goal attempt.

Payne had a 48-yard run on TCU's opening drive and the Frogs had 111 yards on the ground by halftime. They had only 26 after halftime.

“Once we kind of got settled down a little bit on the outside runs ... we kind of forced him to cut back and those guys did a good job inside,” Belichick said about his defensive front. “They hit the quarterback, they didn’t really let him step up in the pocket and throw much.”

North Carolina last season never had a halftime lead against a Power Four opponent, but went ahead 12-10 on a safety with 1:49 left in the first half of the first major college football game this season. TCU punter John Hoyet Chance kicked the ball out of the back of the end zone after the snap sailed over his head.

Edwards, a transfer from Wisconsin, completed 16 of 28 passes. Jordan Shipp had five catches for 71 yards and Jaylen McGill had the Tar Heels' only TD, on a 9-yard run in the first quarter after they had converted a fourth-and-7.

Burrell's second field goal, a 28-yarder that made it 15-10 early in the second half, was set up by Melkart Abou Jaoude’s blindside sack of Craig that forced a fumble recovered by Jaylen Harvey at the TCU 31. Abou Jaoude had 10 1/2 sacks last season.

Xavier Lewis had 4 1/2 tackles for loss with two sacks.

TCU's only touchdown was set up by Ed Small's 33-yard punt return to the UNC 25, then he had a 13-yard catch. Jon Denman scored on a 2-yard run for a 10-3 lead with four minutes left in the first quarter. Small had nine catches for 65 yards.

North Carolina had 10 points and 141 total yards in the first quarter with new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino. The Tar Heels scored 10 points in the first quarter only once last year but never had more yards. They finished with 322 total yards.

TCU had scored at least 30 points in its last 10 season openers, which was the longest active FBS streak.

Both teams have an open date before their home openers Sept. 12. North Carolina hosts East Tennessee State, and TCU plays Grambling State.

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North Carolina's Billy Edwards Jr. throws a pass during an NCAA college football game against TCU in Dublin, Ireland, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick, center, and his team celebrate after defeating TCU in an NCAA college football game in Dublin, Ireland, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

TCU players run onto the field before an NCAA college football game against North Carolina in Dublin, Ireland, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

North Carolina quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. looks to pass during an NCAA college football game against TCU in Dublin, Ireland, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

North Carolina players run onto the field before an NCAA college football game against TCU in Dublin, Ireland, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

TCU takes on North Carolina during an NCAA college football game in Dublin, Ireland, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

TCU safety Julius Simms, right, tackles North Carolina tight end Jelani Thurman during an NCAA college football game in Dublin, Ireland. Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Peter Morrison)

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Known for two violent wrecks at Daytona International Speedway, Ryan Preece experienced a much different ride at NASCAR's hometown track Saturday night: a trip to victory lane.

Preece won the Cup Series regular-season finale at Daytona in overtime to secure the final playoff spot for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing.

Preece, who ferociously flipped cars at Daytona in 2023 and again in 2025, moved to the front during a green-white-checkered finish when leader Zane Smith got bumped, started spinning and slammed into other cars on the last lap. Preece took the checkered flag under caution and edged Shane van Gisbergen for the 16th and final berth in the postseason finale.

“This is redemption,” said Preece, whose victory landed two RFK cars into the 16-driver Chase for the championship. Chris Buescher is the other.

“I’m just speechless right now,” Preece said. “Those guys, that 60 (car), we’re fighters. When you put our back against the wall, we swing hard. ... Last year, there were a lot of keyboard warriors saying I was nothing. Well, we just kicked their butts tonight.”

Preece expressed confidence all week, but he found himself needing a victory late to pass Shane van Gisbergen for the last playoff spot. Van Gisbergen finished 27th after pitting during the final caution and taking four tires.

“Shame we’re not in it,” said van Gisbergen, who won twice during the regular season but missed the playoffs under NASCAR's new format that puts more emphasis on season-long results that victories.

Bubba Wallace and Austin Cindric locked up the other two available spots. Wallace, Cindric, van Gisbergen, Preece and Brad Keselowski started the night vying for the final three spots in the 10-race Chase.

Wallace, who was nearly a lock to make the 16-driver field when the green flag dropped, claimed his spot with a seventh-place finish in the opening stage. Cindric avoided trouble all night, finished sixth and advanced without much fanfare.

Daniel Suarez finished second in the race, followed by Michael McDowell, Tyler Reddick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Van Gisbergen won Stage 1 and created more of a cushion on Preece, who was caught up in a three-car crash as he neared the finish line. Preece raced his way back to the front in Stage 2 and picked up much-needed points with a second-place finish behind Ryan Blaney.

But it came down to the final lap. Preece needed to win to get in — and he pulled it off in dramatic fashion.

“I’m a racer. I know what it takes to build speed,” Preece said. “So every man and woman at RFK, thank you for giving me a rocket ship so I could go to the moon tonight.”

Tom Cruise is getting back behind the wheel for a follow-up to “Days of Thunder.” The 64-year-old Cruise announced Saturday at Daytona he will reprise his role as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle.

He said he wants to show audiences “the speed, the excitement and all that danger and stuff.”

Anne Hathaway will co-star as a team owner and engineer in the film scheduled to be released by Paramount Pictures on June 2, 2028.

Seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will drive a familiar-looking No. 48 in his final Cup Series start. Johnson unveiled his paint scheme for his Toyota in the 2027 Daytona 500 by driving a ceremonial lap around the track before Saturday’s race. The gray-and-blue scheme melds the three main sponsors during Johnson’s record-setting racing career: Lowe’s, Ally and Carvana.

Johnson’s final start will come in the 69th running of the Daytona 500, scheduled for Feb. 21, 2027. Hendrick Motorsports loaned Johnson the No. 48 for his last ride.

“Seeing this car for the first time brings back a lifetime of memories,” Johnson said.

Riley Herbst was scratched from the race because of “lingering effects” from a crash last weekend. Harrison Burton replaced Herbst in the No. 35 Toyota and finished 12th.

Herbst was involved in a crash at New Hampshire Motor Speedway last Sunday, with his car backing into the outside barrier before being struck again.

The 10-race Chase for the championship begins at Darlington Raceway next Sunday.

See AP’s full auto racing coverage here

Ryan Preece, center, celebrates with his crew after winning the NASCAR auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Chase Elliott (9) leads Ryan Preece (60) through the front stretch at the half way point of the NASCAR auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Actor Tom Crusie exits the building after attending a drivers meeting before a NASCAR auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Shane Van Gisbergen (97) comes in for a pit stop during the NASCAR auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Kyle Larson (5) and Chase Briscoe (19) lead a group through the front stretch during early laps in the NASCAR auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)