​It’s the ACC opener for both Clemson (1-1) and North Carolina (2-0), but this means more than just a big start to the conference campaign. This is about the Tigers vs the Tar Heels, but the showdown of legendary head coaches, Bill Belichick and Dabo Swinney, makes this one of the biggest ACC games of the season.Bill Belichick has started the season hot, but the schedule is about to get brutal – beating Clemson would go a long way toward making the season a success. On the other side, Dabo Swinney is still smarting from the 51-10 loss to LSU to start the season. Lose, and it’ll be a second straight 1-2 start.North Carolina vs Clemson: Quick HitsThis starts a run of three road games in four for North Carolina. There’s a week off after this, and then comes the home game in the run: Notre Dame.Clemson continues a run of five home games in six this week, but it goes to Cal next and hosts Miami the week after.North Carolina holds a 40-18-1 lead in the series but lost the last seven, including the team’s ACC opener last year, 38-10.How To Watch North Carolina vs ClemsonDate: Saturday, September 19, 2026Game Time: 12:00 PM ETTV: ESPNLocation: Memorial Stadium, Clemson, SC– Week 3 Schedule, Picks– CFN Expert Picks: Week 3Why North Carolina Will WinThe offense has been good enough to get by, but it’s the defense that continues to do the heavy lifting.The Tar Heels haven’t allowed 180 passing yards in either of the first two games, and TCU and East Tennessee State were both held to under three yards per carry. Clemson started to generate a little bit of push against Georgia Southern, but it went nowhere against LSU. Clemson has to rely on the midrange passing game, and that means Belichick will get to prepare for a true freshman under center.Clemson quarterback Tait Reynolds (2) passes playing Georgia Southern University during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium Saturday, September 12, 2026. Ken Ruinard / USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesWhy Clemson Will WinChristopher Vizzina hasn’t been bad, but he had to deal with the LSU defense to start the season and then suffered an elbow injury against Georgia Southern; he’s questionable. Enter Tait Reynolds, a 6-2 true freshman who threw for 200 yards and ran for 29 more in the win over Georgia Southern.As long as he’s able to limit the mistakes – the Tigers turned it over twice last week – the defense should be able to hold up against a North Carolina offense designed to live to fight another day. The Tar Heel attack won’t put 40 on the board.North Carolina vs Clemson Prediction, Betting LinesNorth Carolina is great on defense, okay enough on offense to get by, and it needs the other side to screw up. That’s where Clemson comes in.The Tigers are getting hit with too many penalties. The three turnovers in two games weren’t great, and so far, they can’t convert a third down. They’ve been successful on just three of their 27 attempts – third worst