Bill Belichick’s Tar Heels Lose 21-18 to Cal at Berkeley

When Bill Belichick, head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels stepped onto the field at California Memorial Stadium on Friday night, the atmosphere was electric but the odds were stacked against him. The Tar Heels, sitting at 2‑4 overall and 0‑2 in ACC play, were looking for a statement win against a Power‑4 opponent. Instead, the California Golden Bears walked away with a 21‑18 victory that kept them in the ACC hunt and sent UNC’s season spiraling further downhill.

Season context and stakes

North Carolina entered the game having dropped four of its first six contests, including losses to two other Power‑4 teams. The defeat against California marked the program’s fourth such loss in 2025, a glaring sign that the Tar Heels’ rebuilding effort under Belichick was still finding its footing.

Across the river, Justin Wilcox, in his seventh season as the Golden Bears’ head coach, was riding a 5‑2 overall record and a 2‑1 ACC mark. A win would cement Cal’s standing as a legitimate contender for the conference’s top tier and give the team momentum heading into its rivalry game against Stanford on Oct. 25.

Game flow and key moments

The kickoff at 7:30 PM PT drew a crowd of 45,321 fans. Cal’s 19‑year‑old freshman quarterback Jaron‑Ke Awe Sagapolutele set the tone early, connecting with senior wideout Jacob De Jesus for a 7‑yard touchdown on the opening drive. The Bears struck again in the first quarter when Sagapolutele rushed for a three‑yard score, taking a 14‑0 lead.

UNC answered back with a 18‑yard rush by sophomore running back Benjamin Hall, tying the game at 7‑7. A well‑timed field goal by kicker Rece Verhoff before halftime trimmed the deficit to 14‑10, and the Tar Heels’ defense, coordinated by Steve Belichick, forced Cal to punt five times in the second quarter.

The third quarter saw Cal extend the lead. Running back Kendrick Raphael powered into the end zone from two yards out after an 11‑play, 79‑yard drive, pushing the score to 21‑10. That drive ate up more than five minutes of the clock, leaving UNC with limited time to mount a comeback.

The decisive goal‑line play

Early in the fourth quarter, UNC rallied. Running back Davion Gause punched in a four‑yard touchdown and the Tar Heels successfully converted a two‑point try, narrowing the gap to 21‑18. With 8:25 left, sophomore quarterback Gio Lopez kept the drive alive on a fourth‑and‑short scramble, setting up a promising strike to wide receiver Nathan Leacock at the Cal 1‑yard line.

Leacock seemed poised to break the deadlock, but Cal’s defensive back Brent Austin, often called “Paco,” leapt and punched the ball loose just before the receiver crossed the plane. Austin recovered the fumble in the end zone, preserving Cal’s three‑point lead with just under four minutes remaining.

“That’s as good of an individual play as we’ve had this year,” Wilcox said in the post‑game interview, praising Austin’s hustle and timing.

Coaches and player reactions

Belichick, still adjusting to the college game after his long NFL tenure, shrugged off the loss with a characteristic calm: “Just came up a little bit short today, a couple inches I guess on the touchdown on the fumble.” He added that the team would regroup and focus on correcting execution errors.

On the other side, Wilcox praised his quarterback’s balanced effort – 21‑of‑39 for 209 yards and a rushing TD – and highlighted the defense’s resilience in the final minutes.

What the result means for the ACC race

UNC’s 0‑2 conference record now places them at the bottom of the ACC East, making a playoff berth an uphill battle. The Tar Heels will need a string of wins against lower‑ranked conference foes to stay alive, a daunting task given the talent gap exposed by Power‑4 teams this season.

Cal, meanwhile, improves to 2‑1 in ACC play and solidifies its claim to a potential bowl bid. The Bears will host Stanford next, a game that could determine whether they finish the season in the top three of the Pac‑12/ACC crossover standings.

Key facts

• Final score: California 21, North Carolina 18
• Location: California Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, California
• Top performers: Jaron‑Ke Awe Sagapolutele (21/39, 209 yds, 1 TD, 1 rush TD); Gio Lopez (19/35, 167 yds)
• Critical play: Defensive back Brent Austin forced a goal‑line fumble at 3:48 remaining
• Next games: Cal vs. Stanford (Oct. 25, 3:30 PM PT); UNC vs. Miami (Oct. 27, 7:00 PM PT)

Looking ahead

Both programs have a lot at stake. Belichick will likely lean on his defensive pedigree to tighten up UNC’s third‑down efficiency, while Wilcox may rely on his balanced offense to keep Cal in the ACC conversation.

For fans, the takeaway is simple: college football still delivers heart‑stopping drama down to the final seconds, and one play can rewrite a season’s narrative.