CLEMSON — When Bill Belichick was hired to be North Carolina’s head coach last December, everyone was talking about the Tar Heels’ 2025 matchup with Clemson.

Perhaps the greatest coach in the history of professional football, going up against one of the greatest to ever coach the game in college football.

Dabo vs. Bill

These are the matchups that make football great, or so we thought.

I mean, it is still a good matchup, but the escapades surrounding Belichick and his girlfriend, coupled with the Tar Heels two embarrassing losses to Power 4 teams has taken some of the luster off of things.

The same can be said for Clemson’s 1-3 start. A team who was expected to be so good does not even look as good as the record indicates.

Swinney vs. Belichick seemed like a good draw at the time. Now, it is just another game for college football fans around the country. And it is not even a good one.

Clemson is a bad football team. Though UNC is 2-2, it is not much better.

The Tar Heels lost 48-14 to TCU at home in the season opener and on Sept. 20, they were smashed by UCF, 34-9, in Orlando.

I am sure ESPN’s College GameDay will mention the game briefly, but let’s be honest here there are better games to watch across the country on Saturday, like the one going on in Tallahassee, Fla., between No. 3 Miami and No. 18 Florida State.

I guess there is still some interest in Clemson-UNC, though.

Can Clemson end its slide?

Can UNC beat or even compete with somebody of substance?

When will Jordon Hudson come on the field and talk to Bill? Or better yet, what will she be wearing?

Man, have the expectations of this game fallen on hard times or what?

No longer are we talking about Bill’s six Super Bowl Championships with the New England Patriots, the most by any coach in NFL history.

No longer are we talking about Dabo’s two national championships and the possibility of earning a third.

Instead, this is an early game in October, that at the moment, means everything to both teams and nothing to anyone else.

It should make for a compelling football game, or will it?