UNC didn’t leave Kenan Stadium with a win, but it did leave without getting buried by Notre Dame, and that mattered in its own way. The Irish still walked out with a 37-26 victory, but the Tar Heels showed enough fight to keep the final margin from turning into a full-blown beatdown.
The start looked like the kind of script UNC has been leaning on all season. The defense forced an early Notre Dame punt, and Billy Edwards Jr. quickly took the offense on a seven-play touchdown drive. For a brief moment, the Heels had the lead and the stadium had some life.
Then Notre Dame reminded everybody why it was the more talented team. The Irish answered with a touchdown, picked off Edwards, scored again, and then grabbed another interception before building a 21-7 lead.
The mood in Kenan Stadium turned fast, though UNC did steady itself before halftime. After a stretch where both offenses went quiet, the Heels put together a 15-play, 97-yard touchdown drive and went into the break down just seven.
The second half opened with a jolt. Jadan Jefferson took the kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown, giving UNC a sudden spark.
But the missed extra point kept the score from fully tilting the Heels’ way, and Notre Dame responded with another touchdown of its own. From there, the Irish went right back to what worked all day: running the ball and leaning on the line of scrimmage.
That ground game eventually wore UNC down. C.J.
Carr capped a drive by hitting Nolan James Jr. for a touchdown to push Notre Dame ahead 34-20, and a field goal in the middle of the fourth quarter made it 37-20. UNC kept battling, though, and Edwards found Jelani Thurman for a 10-yard touchdown to trim the deficit.
It just wasn’t enough to make the finish truly dangerous for the Irish.
The numbers told the story in the trenches. Benjamin Hall, Demon June, and Jaylen McGill were held to 64 rushing yards for UNC, while Notre Dame’s Jonaz Walton ripped off 120 yards on his own.
As a team, the Irish ran for 241 yards, which made life a lot easier for Carr. He finished 21-29 for 234 yards and four touchdowns without an interception.
Edwards had a better afternoon than he did against Clemson, and there was at least some reason for encouragement there. He went 17-28 for 208 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions.
The picks were costly, but he looked sharper and more in control than he had the week before. Bill Belichick kept trusting him, and UNC will now have to see whether that steadier version shows up again next weekend.
In the end, this was the loss most people probably expected. UNC did beat the spread, and it showed enough to leave open the possibility of bowl eligibility.
Still, this team hasn’t earned much trust yet. A road win at Pitt next week would go a long way toward making the Bill Belichick era feel like it’s moving in the right direction.
In Other News...
UNC Has A Bigger Problem Than Just Losing To Notre Dame
Jordan Shipp gave North Carolina a reason to keep watching, and Billy Edwards Jr. found ways to keep the offense moving, but the larger picture from the Notre Dame game was hard to ignore. The Tar Heels showed a few flashes from key players, and Jordan Faisons work stood out on the other side, yet the game kept circling back to the same concerns that have shadowed UNC for stretches this season.
The rushing attack never found much traction, which put even more weight on the passing game, and the defense had its own trouble handling the Irish. For a team trying to sort out what it really is, the loss looked less like one bad afternoon than another reminder that the issues run deeper than the final score. [Read more 🡒]
Clemson Just Made Miamis Poll Rise Even Harder To Ignore
Miamis rise in the polls got another push after a convincing win over Clemson, while Notre Dame also climbed following its 37-26 victory over North Carolina. For a Tar Heels team trying to keep pace in a difficult stretch, the loss to the Fighting Irish fit into a larger picture of how much every result is being magnified in the rankings race.
The updated AP Top 25 and AFCA Coaches Polls reflect that ripple effect, with both Miami and Notre Dame picking up points as the seasons weekly pressure keeps building. Their upcoming games and strength of schedule figures only add another layer to the conversation, because for North Carolina and the rest of the ACC, every matchup now carries the kind of weight that can reshape what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Billy Edwards Jr. Is Putting UNC In A Tough Spot
Billy Edwards Jr. gave North Carolina enough to keep things moving against Notre Dame, but not enough to steady the offense. He finished 17 of 28 for 208 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions, a line that captured both the promise and the frustration around his play as the Tar Heels fell 37-26.
The turnovers were costly, and they also underscored a bigger issue for UNC: the passing game has not found the consistency it needs with Edwards at the controls. With the next week looming, he is already under pressure to clean things up and protect his role as the starter. [Read more 🡒]