Former Top Buckeye Recruit Makes College Football History in ACC Debut
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Jelani Thurman impressed in his debut game for the North Carolina Tar Heels. Having previously played for the Ohio State Buckeyes, he later joined the UNC under the tutelage of legendary NFL head coach Bill Belichick.
Thurman and the UNC faced off against the TCU Horned Frogs in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. They managed to win the game with a score of 10-15, with the tight end making history as well.
Jelani Thurman makes instant history in UNC debut
The game was held at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, as part of the annual tradition to kick off the start of the season by playing there. Despite being behind at the start of the game, the team managed to rally back to secure the win. Thurman made an immediate impact in his first game for the program. The junior tight end recorded the first completed reception of the entire FBS season.
North Carolina received the opening kickoff for a touchback. On first-and-10 from the Tar Heels’ 25-yard line with 14:34 remaining in the first quarter, quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. completed a short pass to the right to Thurman for a 20-yard gain. Moments later on the same drive, after a short run, Edwards connected with Thurman again over the middle for 35 yards to the TCU 17. Those two receptions alone produced 55 yards and set up an early field goal.
Thurman finished the game with four catches for 94 yards, leading North Carolina in receiving and posting career highs in both categories. He was targeted eight times and played 55 of 58 offensive snaps. Edwards completed 16 of 28 passes for 232 yards.
Thurman was part of the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship team and appeared in 35 games across three seasons for them. However, he only managed to record 13 receptions for 144 yards and two touchdowns in those games. In a single game with UNC, he managed to surpass his 2025 record of seven catches for 84 yards. He received much praise for the win from head coach Belichick.
Bill Belichick praises Jelani Thurman after UNC debut
In the postgame press conference, Belichick credited Thurman for the first win. He said, “Jelani gave us some explosive plays, especially early in the game, to kind of get us started there, and then the pass and on the naked and on the flat, you know, that was a big first down there, and at the end on the last drive.”
However, he did add that quarterback Edwards has to improve better, “I thought Billy did a solid job managing the game. He didn’t turn the ball over on his side of it, you know. But we got to do a better job of you know taking care of the ball.”
Jelani Thurman and the UNC have successfully kick started their 2026 campaign and will hope things go smoothly.
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- Analyst Calls Bill Belichick a “Bully” and Says His College Stint Is “About to Go Down in Flames”
- ‘I Learn Everyday’: Bill Belichick Gets 100% Real Adapting to CFB Coaching Ahead of Year 2 at UNC
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