Notre Dame has looked the part of a top-tier team through four games, and the Fighting Irish now carry that perfect 4-0 start into a road trip to face North Carolina in Week 5.
The results have been convincing from the jump. Notre Dame has beaten Wisconsin, Rice, Michigan State and Purdue, and every one of those wins came by 17 points or more. The latest statement was a 40-plus-point outing against Purdue, a game in which the Irish scored enough to notch their third cover in four tries this season.
A big reason for that start has been quarterback CJ Carr. He’s completed more than 70 percent of his passes, thrown nine touchdowns against just one interception, and he followed a 237-yard, three-touchdown performance against Purdue with another week that kept his Heisman buzz alive. Carr has also added a little on the ground, with eight carries for 13 yards and two scores, though the running volume is light enough that it could cap his statistical ceiling in that race.
Still, the bigger picture around Carr is strong. Notre Dame looks like one of the country’s best teams in 2026, and that only helps his profile if the Irish keep pushing toward the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoffs. On the numbers, he’s piloted an offense that ranks No. 9 in pass-play success rate and No. 25 in EPA/Play.
North Carolina enters this matchup coming off a bye in Week 4 and a loss to Clemson in its last outing on Sept. 19.
Bill Belichick’s team has already had one impressive moment this season, knocking off TCU in Week 0, but it has also shown the same offensive problems in the games that matter most. Against Power 4 opponents, UNC has scored 20 points or fewer both times.
That passing game has not found much traction. Billy Edwards Jr. has completed 56.4 percent of his throws, and the Tar Heels sit 108th in passing success rate and 91st overall in EPA/Play on offense. Their defense has held up reasonably well, but this is a major jump in class from the Clemson team they saw in Week 3.
The numbers tell a pretty clear story on both sides. Notre Dame is averaging more than 40 points per game and ranks 10th nationally in defensive EPA/Play, while North Carolina’s offense is 103rd in EPA/Pass. The Tar Heels stayed competitive against Clemson, but that game doesn’t erase the concerns about whether they can keep pace with an elite Notre Dame team.
Carr’s matchup is also workable on paper. North Carolina’s defense comes in 36th in EPA/Pass, but the Irish quarterback has been sharp enough all season to take advantage if the game opens up.
Notre Dame has covered in three of its four games, and the way it has handled its schedule so far makes it hard to see North Carolina turning this into a cover at home. Unless the Tar Heels’ offense makes a real leap, Notre Dame looks positioned to win by multiple possessions once again.
In Other News...
Belichick Makes Clear What Matters Now For UNC Football
Bill Belichick said the North Carolina football programs focus right now is less about the noise around it and more about getting the operation where it needs to be. With the Tar Heels navigating investigations and personnel changes, he framed the moment as one centered on doing things the right way and addressing the areas flagged by outside counsel.
Belichick also made clear how limited his role has been in the process, saying he was only involved in answering some questions while the legal details were handled by lawyers. For North Carolina, the message was less about the headlines themselves than the work still ahead, and what the program chooses to do next in response to them. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Is Giving Tar Heel Legends A Permanent Place In Kenan
Kenan Stadium is about to get a little more reflective, with North Carolina set to unveil two permanent Hall of Fame displays during the game against Notre Dame. The new honors will recognize 12 Tar Heel legends who made their mark in the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, giving UNC a more permanent way to showcase some of the biggest names in program history.
The College Football Hall of Fame display will go in the northeast corner of the stadium, while the Pro Football Hall of Famers will be featured in the southeast corner. UNC has also invited the Hall of Famers and their families for a weekend celebration that will include on-field recognition and a formal dedication during the game, turning what is already a marquee matchup into a chance to connect the current program with the standard set by its greats. [Read more 🡒]
Former Tar Heels Reunite On A Sideline UNC Fans Will Want To Follow
A familiar Carolina connection is making its way back onto a sideline worth watching. King Rice, now the head coach at Monmouth, has hired Shammond Williams as an assistant coach for the 2026-27 season and beyond, bringing together two former Tar Heels whose paths have now crossed again in the coaching ranks.
Williams arrives with a long rsum that should make him an intriguing addition anywhere, including more than 20 years of professional playing experience and 13 years in college coaching. His recent stops include Denver and Old Dominion, and Rice has made no secret of his excitement about adding a former teammate to the staff, a reunion UNC fans will naturally keep an eye on even from a distance. [Read more 🡒]