A pivotal college football season arrives

OK, we've had enough speculation about the future of college football and the state of the ACC.

• It's time to actually play some games. N.C. State and Duke kicked their seasons off last night.

Why it matters: For better or for worse, the eyes of the college football world will be turned to Chapel Hill on Monday, as legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick leads the Tar Heels for the first time against TCU.

• But Belichick is one of just several interesting story lines bubbling up in the Triangle this season.

Here's what we're watching:

🐺 NC State beat ECU 24-17

• Dave Doeren's 13th season in charge of the Wolfpack starts off by avenging last year's loss to the Pirates in the Military Bowl. But after last year's team failed to reach the potential many saw in it, Doeren's squad faces many questions. The Wolfpack are predicted to finish 10th in the ACC.
• A lot will be riding on the shoulders of CJ Bailey, a highly touted sophomore the Wolfpack were able to keep other teams from recruiting away. On Thursday, he threw for over 300 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.

😈 Duke pulls away from Elon 45-17

• The Blue Devils are predicted to finish 6th in the ACC in large part because of the strides they took last year, when they won nine games.
• All eyes are on Darian Mensah, the Tulane star quarterback they got to transfer with an NIL deal worth a reported $8 million over two years. In his debut, Mensah had 389 yards passing and three touchdowns.

🐏 UNC hosts TCU at 8pm Monday (ESPN)

• The Tar Heels — predicted to finish 8th in the ACC — have spent huge sums of money to bring in Belichick, his pick of assistants and an entirely new team of transfers, including new starting quarterback Gio Lopez.

• And yet, they enter the game 3.5-point underdogs against the Horned Frogs. The result of this game will go a long way to showing us what type of team the Tar Heels could be and how quickly Belichick can turn turnaround a defense that seemingly couldn't stop anyone last year.

Other games happening around North Carolina this weekend:

• 🎩 Wake Forest vs. Kennesaw State at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium (Winston-Salem) at 7pm today. ACC Network.
• ⛰️ App State vs. UNC Charlotte at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte at 7pm today. ESPNU.
• 🦅 N.C. Central vs. New Hampshire at O'Kelly-Riddick Stadium (Durham) on Saturday at 6pm. ESPN+.
• 🔵 N.C. A&T vs. Tennessee State at Nissan Stadium (Nashville) on Saturday at 4:30pm. ESPN+.