Stephen A. Smith defends Bill Belichick following North Carolina's win

North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick secured a 15-10 victory over TCU in the team's season opener on Saturday. The Tar Heels held a 12-10 lead at halftime and prevented TCU from scoring in the second half to seal the win. Following the game, Stephen A. Smith used his platform on "First Take" to defend Belichick against commentary from colleague Paul Finebaum. Smith described Finebaum's public statements regarding Belichick as cruel and questioned the origin of their conflict. North Carolina enters its next contest with a 1-0 record. The team is scheduled to play East Tennessee State on September 12.

• 3:07 PMYahoo Sports — Stephen A. Smith defends Bill Belichick after Week 0 win