"Maybe the easiest schedule in the country": Josh Pate gives a reality check to Bill Belichick's North Carolina

Bill Belichick made an unexpected career move in December 2024 by accepting the North Carolina coaching job, replacing the fired Mack Brown. It marks the first time the six-time Super Bowl winner will be coaching at the collegiate level following his exploits in the NFL.

Ahead of his first season at Chapel Hill, Josh Pate has offered his view on what the Tar Heels' schedule for the 2025 season looks like. The college football analyst believes North Carolina has one of the easiest schedules in the Power Five, offering Belichick a soft landing.

“While everyone is talking about Bill Belichick taking over at North Carolina, I'm going to be talking about the fact that he just inherited the easiest schedule in the conference, maybe the easiest schedule in the country in the Power Four,” Pate said. (Timestamp 37:59).

“They have one game against teams we rate either tier one, tier two or tier three. Syracuse plays seven by comparison. They're both in the same conference. Again, I take this opportunity to remind you that scheduling is broken in college football because conferences are broken in college football.”

Josh Pate believes Bill Belichick couldn't have had it better

Citing the strength of North Carolina’s schedule for the upcoming season, Josh opined that Bill Belichick couldn't have had it better in his first year as the coach of the Tar Heels. There's a lot of anticipation about how the coach will fare in college football and Pate believes he has a strong chance of starting on a brilliant note.

"North Carolina could not have gift-wrapped Bill Belichick an easier route,” Pate said (Timestamp 38:38). "If Bill Belichick himself was told you have to make your schedule, he would have made it harder than this because he would have felt guilty if he made this schedule himself.

"They avoided five or the top six teams in preseason odds to win the ACC. We've got it rated as the second-easiest schedule in all Power Four. That doesn't mean he's going to do anything; they may still be 5-7 for all I know. But if they're going to shock the world, they've got the schedule to do it."

The Tar Heels open their season at home against TCU while having another noteworthy non-conference game against UCF in Week 3. In the conference schedule, they are Clemson, Syracuse, Duke and NC State. Overall, they have a schedule they can get something solid out of.