Tar Heels Secure Season Opener in Dublin
North Carolina opened its 2026 season with a 15-10 victory over TCU on Saturday at Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The Tar Heels, who were the visiting team, defeated the home Horned Frogs to improve their record to 1-0, while TCU fell to 0-1.
The game featured a back-and-forth first quarter that set the stage for a tight contest, with both teams exchanging scoring drives before North Carolina pulled away in the second half.
A Tense First Half
The scoring began with North Carolina’s Aeron Burrell connecting on a 20-yard field goal to give the Tar Heels a 3-0 lead. TCU responded quickly through kicker Kyle Lemmermann, who kicked a 31-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3. The momentum shifted dramatically in the first period when TCU’s Jon Denman rushed for a 2-yard touchdown, followed by a successful kick from Lemmermann.
This drive put the Horned Frogs up 10-3. North Carolina answered immediately with a 9-yard rushing touchdown by Jaylen McGill, capped by a Burrell kick, to tie the score at 10-10 heading into halftime. The second quarter saw no further scoring until a team safety gave the Tar Heels a 12-10 lead, a margin they would hold for the rest of the game.
