Bill Belichick arrives in Dublin ahead of Aer Lingus College Football Classic

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Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels have officially arrived in Dublin, Ireland, as the college football season opener against TCU rapidly approaches.

The eight-time Super Bowl champion was among the UNC contingent arriving at Dublin Airport Thursday ahead of Saturday’s Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium.

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Belichick leads Tar Heels into Ireland

Belichick was captured leading the Tar Heels down the escalator at Dublin Airport, providing a memorable arrival for one of the biggest names ever to coach American football.

The trip marks Belichick’s first game in Ireland as North Carolina’s head coach and the beginning of his second season in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels are hoping for a dramatically different result after opening the Belichick era with a 48-14 loss to TCU last season.

UNC went just 4-8 in Belichick’s first season, making Saturday’s matchup an important early opportunity to show that the program has made progress. The Tar Heels have overhauled their roster and quarterback room during the offseason, with Billy Edwards Jr. taking over as the starting quarterback.

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Dublin provides unique backdrop

The game is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 29, at Aviva Stadium, with kickoff at 5 p.m. local time and noon ET. ESPN will broadcast the matchup in the United States.

More than 14,000 American fans are expected to travel to Ireland for the game, which represents the fifth consecutive year that the Aer Lingus College Football Classic has been held at Aviva Stadium.

For Belichick, the international setting is nothing completely new. He has previously coached NFL games in London, Mexico City and Germany, but Saturday will provide a very different experience as he leads a college team into one of the biggest games of Week 0.

There is plenty of attention surrounding UNC beyond the game itself. General manager Michael Lombardi is on administrative leave amid an internal investigation, while defensive coordinator Steve Belichick is on medical leave.

But once Saturday arrives, Belichick will have a much simpler focus.

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