Five minutes into Clemson’s Saturday visit to Bill Belichick’s North Carolina Tar Heels, the Tigers held a modest 7-3 lead.

Ten minutes later, Clemson had ensured the game’s outcome with three additional first-quarter touchdowns in a scoring barrage unlike anything the Tigers had produced as they limped into the foreclosure program dubbed “Chapel Bill” in college football’s preseason.

Because college football does not have a mercy rule, the two teams were obligated to play out the game’s final 45 minutes — which let the visiting Tigers work out some pent-up frustrations and left the hosts to have their own failures manifested.

That Clemson led 38-3 in a game it won 38-10 doesn’t remotely illustrate the class divide in this game; think Panzer tank versus Yugo.

But one statistic does underscore the failure that defines Belichick’s initial foray into collegiate head coaching, which at present is kicking the tarred backsides of UNC’s staff:

The Tar Heels have lost each of their three games against Power Conference opponents under Belichick by at least 25 points. 

For the entire Tom Brady era as Belichick’s New England Patriots quarterback, a span of 366 games from 2001 through 2019, New England lost just three times by 25 or more points and only eight times by 21 or more points.

Per StatHead, the Patriots lost by 25 points to Miami in 2008, 27 points to Kansas City in 2014 and 31 points at Buffalo in 2003.

North Carolina has lost by 25 points at UCF and the 28-point drubbing today against Clemson, a mere 14-day span; it was embarrassed by 34 points at home by visiting TCU on Labor Day Night. 

“I’m just not going to make any evaluations like that,” Belichick said postgame when asked if this UNC rebuilding task was more daunting that he believed. “We’re just going to keep working every day and every week and let the guys get better. 

“I’m not going to evaluate where things are or aren’t; just take it week by week.”

‘Chapel Bill’ did say he somehow believed this game was much different than the TCU contest, though the Tar Heels were non-competitive in both games — both at home — and outscored by a total of 86-24. 

“I thought this game was a lot different than the TCU and UCF games, but each game is its own entity,” said Belichick.

He also was grilled about what his message would be to current recruits being asked to consider and or commit to the Tar Heels. 

“We’re just honest about it. Honest that we’re building and if you want to be part of the program that’s being built then we’re here for you. That’s what we do,” he said.

Belichick, with what sounded like very little conviction, tossed blame on himself and his coaches, after pointing the finger at players.

“When the players make them, that’s obviously bad but the fact that they happen, part of it is coaching, too,” Belichick said. “I’ll take my share of responsibility on that. We’ve got to do a better job of coaching.”

He blamed players for lack of concentration before he also again blamed coaches.

“They don’t happen all the time but they happened at two or three critical times today,” Belichick said of defensive breakdowns in the secondary. “Lack of concentration, and we need to do a better job of coaching. That’s just part of it.”

Belichick dismissed any notion that North Carolina needed changes to its coaching staff.  

“The main thing we need to do is keep doing what we’re doing and do it better,” he said. “I don’t think there’s fundamentally we’re doing the wrong things. We’re just not doing it well enough.” 

StatHead shows Belichick's New England Patriots with 3 losses by 25 or more points during the entire Tom Brady era -- or the same number Belichick has in his first five games at UNC.

StatHead shows Belichick’s New England Patriots with 3 losses by 25 or more points during the entire Tom Brady era — or the same number Belichick has in his first five games at UNC.

Clemson had five different players record a reception of 31 or more yards. Belichick said that his defense’s inability to contain Clemson early spoiled a “good week” of preparation. 

“I thought we had a good week. I think we were ready to go. Unfortunately, we gave up some big plays early in the game that really tilted game and we were just never able to recover,” Belichick said. 

“Big plays in the passing game, we probably gave up 200 passing yards on five plays. We had interceptions nullified because we didn’t look for the ball. Had three alignment penalties that were all our fault. We’ve just got to do a better job of coaching, better job of playing and just eliminate the mistakes that are fixable. Honestly, there are not that many things that we can’t get right.”

Up next for the Tar Heels? Just a 2,800-mile trip to play at ACC foe Cal next Saturday before returning home to face an explosive Virginia team that’s presently ranked No. 24 in the AP Top 25.