North Carolina Tar Heels starting quarterback Gio Lopez did not have the best debut to his tenure with his new program. The South Alabama Jaguars transferee played out his first game for the Tar Heels on Monday, Sept. 1, and caught the attention of many onlookers as reports went viral of Lopez not completing any passes for the Tar Heels for over two hours in the game.
Lopez and the Tar Heels, who were also playing its first game under the tutelage of newly minted coach in eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick, ended up losing their first game of the 2025 college football season to the TCU Horned Frogs on their home pitch, the Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, by a staggering 34 points, 48-14. Reports then indicate that since his 19-yard pass to wide receiver Jordan Shipp, Lopez’s next completed pass came with a 16-yarder to Caleb Hood in an unprecedented two hours and eight minutes later.
Read More: Gio Lopez Injury: What Happened To UNC QB?
Gio Lopez went 2 hours and 8 minutes between completed passes tonight vs TCU
8:12ET – Completes 19 yard pass to Jordan Shipp
10:20ET – Completes 16 yard pass to Caleb Hood pic.twitter.com/hEDuVvakiY
— Barstool Gambling (@stoolgambling) September 2, 2025
College football fans and spectators then reacted in disappointment to a Barstool X post on Lopez as he was a highly touted transferee heading into this year’s campaign.
“Gio Lopez has already entered the portal,” one fan claimed.
“Well, at least UNC QB Gio Lopez retained his arm after ‘128 Minutes’, unlike the dude in ‘127 Hours,'” another user said in response to another graphic that reports of the 128 minutes in total that Lopez was not able to complete a pass.
“QB change next week,” a user wrote.
“Cut him,” the same user posted in the other aforementioned graphic.
Other users all over X/Twitter gave their takes on how Belichick and the Tar Heels could adjust their game plan moving forward.
“How in the world did Johnson not win the starting job,” one fan pointed out mentioning senior quarterback Max Johnson.
“Maybe Matt Patricia should be the offensive coordinator,” another user shared calling on to Ohio State Buckeyes defensive coordinator Matt Patricia.
“Gotta go Baker. Might as well,” a fan captioned mentioning freshman quarterback Bryce Baker.
Lopez and the rest of the Tar Heels now set their sights on their next game, looking to tally a win on their early season standings, when they take on the California 48ers on Saturday, Sept. 6 in away territory. In the 2024 season, previous UNC coach Mack Brown spearheaded the Tar Heels to an overall record of 6-7 (3-5 ACC).
Gio Lopez Is In His Junior Year Of Collegiate Football
Under a legendary coach in Bill Belichick and a storied program like the UNC Tar Heels, there is a long season ahead for Gio Lopez as he is currently in his third season of collegiate football. He has spent the first two campaigns of college tenure with coach Major Applewhite’s South Alabama Jaguars, before announcing his intention to transfer to the Tar Heels back on April 17 of this year.
Also Read: Jacolby Criswell vs. Gio Lopez: Bill Belichick’s Portal Steal Sparks QB1 Battle
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