North Carolina
Three Breakout Players in North Carolina’s 2026 Preview
This was one of the most disappointing developments in college football this season, with the North Carolina Tar Heels failing to qualify for bowl eligibility. In Bill Belichick’s first season as the head coach, the team finished with a 4-8 record and 14th in the ACC.
Handing over the keys to the 73-year-old head coach was supposed to offer prosperity. Instead, Belichick’s arrival brought off-field distractions and disappointing performances on a weekly basis.
That being said, North Carolina’s offseason has been productive, landing 39 commits on National Signing Day, including 10 four-star recruits and 29 three-star recruits. There have been several departures in the transfer portal, but the talent assembled for 2026 should open up opportunities for multiple players to break out next season.
Jordan Shipp
The second-year receiver is the most obvious candidate for a breakout campaign in 2026. The Tar Heels landed four-star quarterback Travis Burgess in this year’s class, and there is a legitimate possibility the incoming freshman signal-caller beats out Gio Lopez for the starting position.
No other player would benefit more from a quarterback change than Shipp, who secured 60 receptions for 671 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. That production is not terrible, but with Shipp’s abilities, he should be producing much more than that.
With the inevitable quarterback change, Shipp could be closer to 900-1,000 receiving yards in 2026.
Travis Burgess
Burgess was mentioned earlier in correlation with Shipp’s potential uptick in production next season, but the incoming quarterback also has an opportunity to hit the ground running in his collegiate career.
The 6-foot-5, 200-pound quarterback possesses the tools to be a game-changing quarterback for North Carolina. Shipp is a great receiver to have when arriving at a program with high aspirations. Additionally, the Tar Heels landed the 10th-overall ranked wide receiver in the class in Keeyun Chapman, who figures to be an immediate-impact player for North Carolina.
Shipp and Chapman could form one of the most electrifying wide receiver tandems in the country next season and will make Burgess’ life much easier when he takes over as the starting quarterback.
Keeyun Chapman
Chapman will seemingly slide in as the WR2 behind Shipp. With multiple wide receivers leaving the program due to graduating or the transfer portal, Chapman has the ability to make an immediate impact on the Tar Heels’ offense.
As mentioned, Chapman was the 10th-best receiver in the recruiting class. His ability to create yards after the catch will open up the offense, which will benefit both Chapman and Shipp to reach their full potential.
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North Carolina
How North Carolina’s Top Players May Perform vs. Georgetown
The North Carolina Tar Heels host the Georgetown Hoyas on Sunday, hoping to carry their momentum from the win against the Kentucky Wildcats on Tuesday night.
That game was a worthwhile experience for the Tar Heels as one of their best players was not playing up to par that night, but the supporting cast and bench stepped up. Derek Dixon played a major role in helping North Carolina escape with a tough road victory.
Sunday’s matchup against Georgetown will be very different for several reasons. First, this game will take place at home for the Tar Heels, which is obviously a much more comfortable environment for North Carolina to operate in. Secondly, the Hoyas are not in the same tier as Kentucky. Although it is 6-2, most of Georgetown’s wins are against mediocre competition.
With all that being said, here are predictions for North Carolina’s starting lineup against Georgetown on Sunday.
Caleb Wilson
Stat line prediction: 20 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block
The aforementioned player who struggled on Tuesday against Kentucky was Wilson. The freshman forward went 5-of-19 from the field, failing to gain a rhythm offensively.
That should not be the case for Wilson on Sunday, as Georgetown lacks size in the perimeter, which should allow Wilson to dominate in the paint. Expect the projected top-five pick in the upcoming NBA Draft to bounce back in a major way.
Henri Veesaar
Stat line prediction: 19 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks
Over the past 2 games, Veesaar has been the Tar Heels’ most consistent player. During that span, the former Arizona center is averaging 15 points and eight rebounds per game while shooting 67 percent from the field.
The third-year center was the main catalyst in North Carolina’s win over Kentucky, shooting 8-of-12 from the field while totaling 17 points and 10 rebounds. He was the Tar Heels’ most effective and efficient player on both ends of the court on Tuesday night.
Veesaar should have no problem replicating those types of numbers against Georgetown.
Luka Bogavac
Stat line prediction: 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists
Bogavac has shot 40 percent or worse from the field in the last four games. However, volume will propel him to hit the double-digit mark in points against the Hoyas.
The 6-foot-5, 216-pound guard will operate predominantly as a catch-and-shoot weapon while sprinkling in some production within the perimeter in the mid-range game.
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North Carolina
NC state trooper involved in shooting that ends with suspect dead
GRANITE FALLS, N.C. (WTVD) — A state trooper responding to a crash had some harrowing moments as he encountered an armed man, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol said Saturday evening.
The trooper responded just after 4:20 p.m. to a crash on Grace Chapel Road in Granite Falls, which is in Caldwell County. Before the trooper got there, first responders at the scene reported that a man involved in the crash had a handgun.
When Senior Trooper William Miller arrived, the man would not comply with commands and kept flashing a handgun. Miller fired a duty-issued weapon, striking the man. After securing the suspect, first responders began rendering aid. The man was taken in the ambulance but died a short time later.
The trooper was unharmed. The suspect was later identified as Scott Patrick Seagle, 48, of Hickory.
Miller is a five-year veteran of the State Highway Patrol and is assigned to Troop F, District 3 (Caldwell County). As is standard, Miller will be placed on administrative duty. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) is conducting an independent investigation of the incident.
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North Carolina
NC Made cookie mix gives homemade taste with ingredients you feel good about
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — This time of year, the to-do list is as long as Santa’s naughty/nice list, and you’re probably looking to save time any way you can.
So, sometimes that means ripping open a box of cookie mix. One Kernersville mom is hoping her mix will add more deliciousness and less mom guilt.
“I wanted something that tasted homemade. I wanted something that had really clean ingredients,” said Lindsay Hancock, My Better Batch.
And that’s where My Better Batch comes in.
“If you’ve ever gone to the grocery store and picked up a box or a bag off the shelf, the ingredients are not great. They’re not things you would find in your own kitchen pantry. That is actually what defines our product and that homemade taste is that these are things you can find in your own kitchen pantry,” Lindsay said.
I wanted something that tasted homemade.
Lindsay mixed up My Better Batch and shipped out her first order in April of 2024. Now you can buy the cookie mix at Costco, Lowes Foods, and Amazon. And this year, she even launched exclusive holiday flavors at Target-chocolate mint and holiday cheer.
“When you’re working on this day in and day out, you certainly have dreams of being able to get to the shelf, but it is pretty surreal to see. And the fact that we were able to get there so quickly,” Lindsay said.
A single mom and entrepreneur-mixing up holiday cheer for her family from her kitchen to yours.
“They taste homemade and they’re ingredients that you can feel good about feeding to your family,” Lindsay said.
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