CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina is still searching for its first win over a Power Four opponent under head coach Bill Belichick, but Saturday’s 17–16 overtime loss to No. 16 Virginia showed that the improvement he has long promised is finally starting to take shape on the field.

The Tar Heels dominated the line of scrimmage, recording six sacks and virtually shutting down Virginia’s running game. However, a failed two-point conversion in overtime ended up deciding the outcome.

“It’s one thing for people to say we’re getting better,” wide receiver Jordan Shipp said. “But now we’re proving it. That’s a top-20 team, and it came down to the final play.”

Still, Shipp wasn’t celebrating a “moral victory.” In the locker room afterward, he admitted to shedding tears — knowing how much effort this team has put in and how close they came to that elusive first ACC win.

Even so, there were plenty of reasons for optimism.

The Tar Heels’ defense held Virginia to just 259 total yards and didn’t allow a single point in the second half. Offensively, UNC racked up 359 yards — not eye-popping, but still a season high — and for the second straight week, they had a chance to win on their final possession, a dramatic turnaround after several early blowouts.

Perhaps the clearest sign of progress came from Belichick himself, who was back in vintage form during his postgame press conference.

On the decision to go for two in overtime:
“Just trying to win the game,” he said.

On quarterback Gio Lopez’s first read during the play:
“Whoever was open.”

On how much these last two games showed real improvement:
“I can’t put a percentage on it,” Belichick replied.

Where Belichick was more direct was in addressing the team’s biggest issue — turnovers in the red zone. After a three-point loss to Cal and now a one-point defeat to Virginia, UNC has committed three turnovers near the end zone, including two that came within inches of scoring.

“We’ve got to eliminate those, no doubt about it,” Belichick said. “That’s the No. 1 problem.”

Despite the miscues, North Carolina seems to be finding an identity that was missing earlier in the season. Belichick had often said the team — which brought in 30 transfers after spring practice — was still a work in progress. In recent weeks, several players have stepped up: receiver Kobe Paysour has nine catches for 154 yards, freshman Madrid Tuckeremerged Saturday with eight receptions for 41 yards, and defensive lineman Melkart Abou Jaoude, who had just two sacks all year, brought down Virginia quarterback Chandler Morris three times.

“We’ve gotten to know these guys better, and everyone’s improving,” Belichick said. “Some players are getting more reps, others are finding new roles where they can help the team. It’s evolving — part of it is development, and part of it is figuring out what each guy can do to make us productive.”

If there was a turning point for UNC, it may have come during their bye week two weeks ago. After a blowout loss to Clemson, the team faced a flood of negative headlines — including the cancellation of a planned documentary, reports of player dissatisfaction (and even a rumored locker-room altercation), and speculation that Belichick wanted out of his contract, a story he firmly denied.

All that adversity, wide receiver Jordan Shipp said, ended up bringing the Tar Heels closer together.

“I feel like it helped us a lot,” Shipp said. “It’s good to be under the spotlight sometimes. When people try to tear someone down on social media, there’s always a teammate ready to defend him. That’s how it should be — you’ve got to have your brother’s back no matter what. And there’s a lot of that going on in this building.”