North Carolina’s loss to No. 3 Notre Dame put Bill Belichick in a familiar spot after the game: trying to make sense of what went wrong when the Tar Heels needed things to break their way.
The biggest issue was hard to miss. Notre Dame didn’t just move the ball - it controlled the line of scrimmage.
The Fighting Irish rolled up 241 rushing yards on 45 carries, and that ground success opened the door for quarterback CJ Carr to keep the pressure on. Carr responded with 234 passing yards and four touchdowns.
For UNC, the hope was that Billy Edwards could deliver his best performance in a Tar Heels uniform while the defense forced Notre Dame into a more limited game. That never really materialized.
Edwards had moments, but two interceptions in the first quarter helped Notre Dame jump out to a 21-7 lead. He finished 17 of 28 for 208 yards, three touchdowns and two picks.
After the game, Belichick pointed directly at the pass protection around Edwards.
"I thought Billy threw the ball well a couple times," Belichick said, via On3. "We weren’t able to give enough time."
North Carolina’s offensive line had a rough afternoon against the Irish front seven, and the Tar Heels never found much balance. UNC ran the ball 23 times for only 77 yards, a disappointing number in a home game played in the rain.
The result itself wasn’t shocking, but the Tar Heels did have chances to keep it tighter than the final margin suggested. The problem was execution, and too many of those chances slipped away.
Belichick’s team also left the game with more questions about the defense. The Tar Heels allowed 186 yards and two scores to Clemson two weeks ago, and after Notre Dame’s performance, it’s fair to ask what this unit is actually built to do.
The offense, meanwhile, needs a run game to show up if UNC wants to stay on track for a bowl berth. Edwards has to be more of a manager than a rescue act, and Belichick’s team can’t count on him to pull games back from behind on his own.
Next up is a 5-0 Pittsburgh team that is expected to be ranked next week. UNC will need answers fast if it wants to avoid a three-game losing streak.
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Bill Belichick Is Running Out Of Time At North Carolina
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Belichicks overall mark at North Carolina sits at 6-10, and the scrutiny has only sharpened after recent staff departures tied to an investigation. With Pittsburgh up next, the Tar Heels are heading into a game that feels bigger than a midseason matchup, because how they respond now could go a long way toward shaping where this partnership goes from here. [Read more 🡒]