‘What a Matchup’: Richt Weighs in on Swinney vs. Belichick in Week 6
By: Robert MacRae January 29, 2025

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced its 2025 football schedule on Monday night, unveiling Clemson’s full 2025 regular season slate.

Looking ahead to Week 6 on Oct. 4, the slate of ACC games features a number of notable matchups, including the rivalry showdown between Miami and Florida State in Tallahassee.

However, ACC Network analyst Mark Richt – the former Florida State assistant coach and former Miami head coach – doesn’t see that contest between the Seminoles and Hurricanes as the marquee matchup of Week 6 in the ACC.

Instead, Richt circled another Week 6 tilt – Clemson vs. North Carolina at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill.

“Normally, it’d be a no-brainer – Florida State and Miami. But this year coming up, I think it’s going to be a little bit different,” Richt said Monday night during the ACC Huddle: 2025 Football Schedule Release show on ACC Network/ESPN2, when asked what stands out to him about the Week 6 schedule.

“I think there’s going to be one game that’s going to usurp that one, and that is Clemson vs. North Carolina.”

Of course, the battle between Clemson and UNC will showcase two of the preeminent coaching figures of the last two decades, as multi-time national champion Dabo Swinney leads the Tigers against multi-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels.

“Two Hall of Fame coaches,” Richt said. “Dabo is a Hall of Famer in the college ranks, and of course, Bill Belichick in the NFL will be a certain Hall of Famer. So, what a matchup between these two guys. I’m hoping both teams are undefeated when they show up because it will be a monster game for our league.”

The game at UNC is Clemson’s third ACC game of the 2025 campaign, following the Sept. 20 home game vs. Syracuse and the Sept. 13 road game at Georgia Tech. Meanwhile, Clemson is UNC’s 2025 conference opener, coming after its games vs. TCU, at Charlotte, vs. Richmond and at UCF to begin the season.

“That’s Carolina’s first ACC game, so it’s a big, big test (against Clemson),” ACC Network analyst and former Clemson offensive lineman Eric Mac Lain said. “And certainly, when you just look at the rest of Carolina’s schedule leading into that, it’s going to be a big one. That’s going to be a big show.”

Clemson is riding a six-game winning streak in the series against UNC and can match its longest winning streak in series history (seven straight from 1986-92) with a win. A win would also make Clemson 2-0 all-time against Super Bowl champion head coaches, including a 1-0 mark against Barry Switzer.