Frank Reich’s Dramatic Return to Carolina Sets the Stage for an Unforgettable Showdown with Bill Belichick

There’s an intriguing subplot unfolding in college football this season as two former NFL head coaches—Bill Belichick and Frank Reich—embark on their college coaching journeys. Reich, now the interim head coach at Stanford after stints with the Colts and Panthers, is about to face off against Belichick for the fourth time as opposing sideline generals. This Saturday’s game also carries personal weight for Reich, returning to Carolina exactly two years after his unexpected firing—an exit marked by the bizarre mispronunciation of his name by the owner, no less. On paper, Belichick’s squad enters as slight favorites against a struggling Stanford team, but the real drama lies beyond the scoreboard. Their pro history includes some memorable clashes: Reich’s last game coaching Indianapolis, a pivotal Super Bowl where his Eagles toppled Belichick’s Patriots, and a tangled web involving Andrew Luck, now Stanford’s GM, connecting all these storylines in unexpected ways. Both coaches have had a rough start to their college careers, making Saturday’s showdown a crucial chance to keep bowl hopes alive. This is more than just a game—it’s a chapter filled with redemption, rivalry, and a hint of unfinished business. LEARN MORE

Bill Belichick isn’t the only former NFL coach making his head-coaching debut at the college level this year. Former Colts and Panthers coach Frank Reich is serving as the full-year interim coach at Stanford. On Saturday, they meet for the fourth time as opposing head coaches.

The game also marks Reich’s return to Carolina, two years to the month after he was abruptly fired by an owner who applied an unprecedented and illogical mispronunciation — twice — of Reich’s last name in the press conference explaining the decision to part ways with Reich during his first season on the job.

Belichick’s team is favored for the first time against a Power Four opponent, by 7.5 points. Which says less about the 3-5 Tar Heels than it does about the 3-6 Cardinal.

The game, which begins at 4:30 p.m. ET, will be televised by the CW. Which is good news for YouTube TV customers, since the network isn’t owned by Disney.

At the pro level, Belichick leads the series, 2-1. All three games happened during Reich’s time with the Colts. Their last meeting was also Reich’s last game in Indianapolis. He was fired three years ago yesterday and replaced by Jeff Saturday.

Belichick and Reich had another fairly important meeting during Reich’s last game as offensive coordinator with the Eagles. In Super Bowl LII, Philadelphia upset Belichick’s Patriots. And when New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels decided not to follow through on a verbal agreement to take the Colts’ head-coaching job, Indy pivoted to Reich.

There’s another interesting piece of connective tissue in this one. Stanford’s G.M. is Andrew Luck. He was the quarterback of the Colts in the 2014 AFC Championship, a blowout win for the Patriots that sparked the #Deflategate scandal.

Both Belichick and Reich have had the air taken out of their first seasons at the college level. The stakes this time around are much more modest than they were in February 2018; both coaches need a win to keep alive their slim hopes to become bowl eligible.