ESPN's College GameDay will be in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, Aug. 30, for the biggest game of Week 1—and potentially one of the biggest matchups of the entire season—between Ohio State and Texas. While the Buckeyes and Longhorns may be a College Football Playoff rematch and a showdown between two of the most talented teams in the country, it may not be the most intriguing game of the Week 1 slate, however. With legendary former NFL coach Bill Belichick taking over the program at North Carolina, ESPN isn't going to miss the chance to highlight his college football debut.
The Tar Heels kick off their season at home on Monday, Sept. 1 against TCU for a Power 4 nonconference clash. ESPN will highlight the matchup with a special edition of College Football Countdown live from Chapel Hill, with a number of GameDay personalities on hand to preview the game. The show will air from 7–8 p.m. from the Kenan Stadium sideline, with the game kicking off afterwards.
Nick Saban, a former NFL assistant under Belichick and one of the coach's close friends, will be on set for the game, along with his GameDay colleagues Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and reporter Pete Thamel. Matt Barrie will host the show, and former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi will also be on hand for the show.
ESPN will host a live show in Chapel Hill ahead of UNC-TCU with Matt Barrie, Tedy Bruschi, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee, Nick Saban and @PeteThamel. Rece Davis/Kirk Herbstreit/Holly Rowe also will call the game.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) July 24, 2025
Rece Davis, Kirk Herbstreit and Holly Rowe will call the game action Monday night, which will wrap up a busy Week 1.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ESPN to Host Special Pregame Show for Bill Belichick’s UNC Coaching Debut.
