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.
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Bill Belichick has made it clear Billy Edwards will stay under center for North Carolinas trip to Notre Dame, even as the passing game continues to sputter. The Tar Heels have had their issues throwing the ball this season, and Belichick pointed to the broader challenge of getting the entire offense working more cleanly rather than pinning it all on the quarterback.
For Notre Dame, that leaves a familiar matchup edge against a unit still searching for consistency through the air. Edwards has completed 56.4% of his passes this season, and North Carolina enters the game as a three-touchdown underdog, which only adds to the pressure on an offense that will need sharper execution to keep the Irish from controlling the night. [Read more 🡒]
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For the Irish, the visit matters because Compton-Nero has already shown a positive view of the coaching staff and the program, which is often the first step in turning a shortlist into real traction. Oklahoma is still squarely in the hunt, and that only raises the stakes for a matchup that could have significance far beyond the field. Notre Dame will be trying to turn a game-day atmosphere into something lasting, with a coveted recruit watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
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Even in defeat, Loves approach stood out. He took personal responsibility for not making the most of every chance, which is the kind of accountability coaches and teammates notice quickly. Through the season, he has also emerged as one of the most productive first-year players in the league, leading all rookies in yards and carries, a sign that his role and his confidence are growing fast. [Read more 🡒]