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How to Watch: TCU Football vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Horned Frogs kick off the 2026 season in Dublin vs. ACC foe AUG. 29 | AVIVA STADIUM | DUBLIN, IRELAND | 11:00 AM CT TV: ESPN Streaming: ESPN App / WatchESPN / Disney+ Talent: Mike Monaco, Jordan Rodgers, Dana Boyle Radio: KZPS 92.5 FM, TuneIn, Varsity App, Sirius XM 84 Talent: Brian Estridge, Marshall Newhouse, Elvis Gallegos Spanish Radio: KTNO 620 AM Talent: Miguel Cruz, Roberto Ramirez GAME NOTES ABOUT THE GAME - TCU will play the program’s first-ever international game to open the 2026 season in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin in a rematch of the 2025 opener against North Carolina. - Since 2015, TCU is 13-6 against non-conference Power 4/5 foes. In addition, the Horned Frogs are 6-1 against ACC teams since 2009, the second-most wins among all FBS programs in that time frame (min. 5 games) behind Georgia (20-3). - Kicking off in Week Zero for just the second time in program history, the August 29 date is the second-earliest game ever for the Frogs (Aug. 25, 2001 vs. Nebraska). - TCU has scored at least 28 points in 30 straight non-conference regular season games, the second-longest streak by an FBS team in the last 45 seasons. TCU Notes - TCU is entering its fifth season under the direction of head coach Sonny Dykes in 2026. The 2022 National Coach of the Year led TCU to 36 wins in his first four seasons, the most by a TCU head coach since Francis Schmidt won 37 from 1929-32. - Dykes has also led programs at SMU (2018-21), Cal (2013-16), and Louisiana Tech (2010-12). In all four stops, Dykes has guided the program to the postseason, making him one of four active head coaches to take four different schools to a bowl game, joining Butch Jones, Lane Kiffin, and Rich Rodriguez. - Dykes is also one of eight active head coaches to have appeared in the CFP National Championship game, along with Kirby Smart, Dabo Swinney, Ryan Day, Marcus Freeman, Kalen DeBoer, Mario Cristobal, and Curt Cignetti. Dykes and Cignetti are the only two coaches in CFP history to take over a losing program and direct them to the CFP in their first season. - For the first time in three seasons, TCU has a new starting quarterback directing the offense as Harvard transfer Jaden Craig takes the reins. As the Crimson’s signal caller, Craig became the most accomplished quarterback in program history, finishing his career as the all-time leader in passing yards (6,074) and touchdown passes (52) along with setting single-season records for passing completions (208), touchdown passes (25) and passing yards (2,869) in 2025. - The Horned Frogs also have a new offensive play caller in Gordon Sammis. For the past two seasons, Sammis ran the offense at UConn, helping the Huskies post consecutive nine-win seasons for the first time in program history while producing one of the nation’s most efficient and explosive offenses. During that span, UConn achieved the program’s first-ever 3,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard receiver and 1,000-yard rusher in the same season. - Conversely, the defense returns a host of familiar names. Along with defensive coordinator Andy Avalos, now in year three, Jamel Johnson enjoyed a breakout campaign as a junior, totaling 96 tackles (second on the team) while posting five interceptions. The interception figure for Johnson ranked first the Big 12 and seventh in the country, while his near triple-digit tackle number was the ninth most in the conference. Up front, Markis Deal, Ansel Din-Mbuh and Paul Oyewale bring a combined 89 games played and 43 starts into the year. UNC NOTES - Carolina is in its 136th season of football (139th year) in 2026 and the Tar Heels enter the campaign with an all-time record of 755-584-54. - UNC is making its first international trip in program history to compete in the 2026 Aer Lingus College Football Classic against TCU in Dublin, Ireland, at Aviva Stadium. - The Tar Heels will open consecutive seasons against the same opponent (TCU) for the first time since 1984-85, when Carolina played Navy in its first game of the year both seasons. - The Tar Heels are the fourth different ACC school to play in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic, joiningBoston College (2016), Florida State (2024), and Georgia Tech (2016 and 2024). - Carolina returns a pair of All-ACC Selections from a season ago in defensive lineman Melkart Abou Jaoude(second team) and wide receiver Jordan Shipp (honorable mention). Abou Jaoude ranked fifth nationally and led the ACC in sacks with 10.5 following the regular season. - Bobby Petrino, one of the nation’s top offensive minds, was named the offensive coordinator for the program in January, after spending the past two seasons at Arkansas as the offensive coordinator and interim head coach. - Carolina Football will celebrate the 100th season of Kenan Stadium during the 2026 season with a series ofspecial events, facility enhancements and fan experiences to honor 100 years of one of the most picturesqueathletic venues in the country. - UNC welcomes the nation’s 12th-ranked recruiting class to the program for the 2026 season, featuring 40signees, among the largest signing classes in the country. - As the Tar Heels gear up for the trip to the Emerald Isle, 57 players will be traveling out of the country for the first time