![Gio Lopez [L] |Max Johnson [R] | Bill Belichick (Credits@Imagn)](https://collegefootballnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/calls-mount-fans-bench-gio-09-02-25.jpg "Calls Mount From Fans To 'Bench' Gio Lopez For Max Johnson As QB's Costly Error Derails UNC's Momentum")
Gio Lopez became the UNC football starter over Max Johnson as Bill Belichick approved his debut with the Tar Heels. However, the 6-foot-3, 203 lbs quarterback picked off on a misguided throw in the second quarter as a pass that TCU’s Bud Clark jumped for a pick-six.
Great job by Bud Clark playing the route but this throw by Lopez is exactly where you don’t want it to be. pic.twitter.com/updzgPn981
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) September 2, 2025
North Carolina fans didn’t hold back after the South Alabama transfer’s mistake. The error opened the floodgates for criticism online, with frustrated fans demanding a quarterback change.
One UNC fan wrote bluntly:
“Gio Lopez is a*s!! Bench him already. Put in Max Johnson.”
Gio Lopez is ass!! Bench him already. Put in max johnson
— Daniel Long (@LongDan17) September 2, 2025
Another piled on, questioning what can come from seeing Lopez tank the game. They commented:
“The worst thing that can possibly come from Gio Lopez playing like sh*t is that we may be close to seeing Max Johnson play on national television in the year 2025.”
“Put Max Johnson in @UNCFootball,” rallied one fan.
A fan had a humorous pick with the comment:
“Me waiting for Max Johnson.”
Another fan kept it simple, writing:
“Put Max Johnson in the game…”
Lopez struggled after a strong opening drive, going cold for much of the half and watching TCU seize control with quick-strike touchdowns. His stat line had one interception, no touchdowns, and under 60 passing yards, which further fueled the calls for Max Johnson to step in.
Meanwhile, for Belichick, who shocked many by naming Lopez the starter earlier in the week, the boos and online chants show an early sign of how short the leash might be at quarterback.
Why Did Bill Belichick Choose UNC Football After Patriots’ Exit
When Bill Belichick walked away from the New England Patriots in 2023, few expected his next chapter to unfold in Chapel Hill. The six-time Super Bowl champion, long synonymous with the “Patriot Way,” now finds himself at the helm of North Carolina football, a move that has stunned both NFL loyalists and the college football world.
After his final season in New England, Belichick faced an unfamiliar silence from NFL front offices, which seemed shocking to many. Despite his unmatched résumé, no team was willing to hand him the reins. Instead of retreating entirely from the game, he briefly stepped away to write a book before surprising everyone by taking over UNC’s program.
Meanwhile, this was an opportunity for the Tar Heels to bring in one of the sharpest football minds in history, and for Belichick, a chance to keep coaching without the baggage of NFL politics.
College football presents an entirely different battlefield. Recruiting wars, NIL dynamics, and player development are daily realities. Belichick’s rings mean little here, and only wins at Kenan Stadium will define his tenure, especially after such costly mistakes right at the start.
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