UNC will host No. 3 Notre Dame at Kenan Stadium Saturday afternoon at 12 p.m. It’s the first meeting between the two schools since 2022.
The Fighting Irish enter Saturday’s game with a 4-0 record, having won each of their games by at least 17 points. Notre Dame is also just two years removed from playing in the national title game, which the Irish lost to Ohio State. The team is led by Marcus Freeman, who ironically played football at Ohio State and is currently in his fourth full season at Notre Dame. The Irish job is his first head coaching role in any capacity.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman gestures after a touchdown against Purdue during the second half of an NCAA college football game in West Lafayette, Ind., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
What’s the history?
To put it bluntly, the history between the two schools is not a pretty one for UNC. The Irish lead 21-2 and have won five consecutive meetings, with four of those games being decided by more than one possession. Carolina’s last win in the series came in 2008 in Chapel Hill, but that win has since been vacated due to NCAA rules violations. The only other Tar Heel victory came in 1960. At one time, UNC lost three consecutive games to the Irish from 1965-1971 in which the Tar Heels did not score a single point.
The second win of Freeman’s head coaching career came against UNC. In 2022, he led a 1-2 Notre Dame team into Chapel Hill to face then-undefeated Carolina and young quarterback Drake Maye. After a strong start by the Tar Heels, the Irish ran away with a 45-32 win in front of a sold-out Kenan Stadium.
Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer (87) goes past North Carolina defensive back DeAndre Boykins (16) for a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Chapel Hill, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022 (AP Photo/Chris Seward)
Defense wins championships
Notre Dame enters Saturday’s game featuring one of the best defenses in the country. The Irish rank No. 1 in in total defense and are the only team in FBS college football allowing fewer than 200 total yards of offense per game. They have allowed just 53.2 rushing yards per game and one touchdown across their four contests, a strength which could prove significant against a UNC team which put up impressive rushing numbers at Clemson two weeks ago. The Irish also feature a smothering pass defense, one which allows fewer than 150 yards per game through the air. And don’t count on Notre Dame to give away free first downs, either: the Irish have committed only 10 penalties through four games, the fewest on average of any team in the FBS. It’s true that Notre Dame hasn’t exactly played a murderer’s row of teams this season (Wisconsin, Rice, Michigan State and Purdue), but the numbers are undoubtedly impressive.
Back with a vengeance
Notre Dame embroiled itself in a bit of controversy at the end of last season. After starting 0-2, the Irish ended the year on a 10-game winning streak, putting together a compelling case for inclusion in the College Football Playoff. But the selection committee left the team out of the field, prompting the Irish to simply withdraw themselves from bowl game consideration entirely. The move drew some criticism, but also gave the Irish a head start on building a roster for 2026. Now, Notre Dame is looking to leave nothing to chance this fall.
The Great Wall of South Bend
As usual, Notre Dame features a stout offensive line with plenty of pro talent. Through four games, the Irish have allowed only two sacks on 112 pass attempts, tied for the fourth-fewest in the country. That elite level of protection has allowed quarterback C.J. Carr to put up impressive numbers in his second season as a starter. Carr has completed 67 of 95 passes this fall for a 70.5 completion percentage and has thrown nine touchdowns against just one interception. That bolsters his career numbers to outstanding levels: 3,704 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 16 starts. For comparison, UNC’s Billy Edwards has thrown 22 touchdowns across five seasons of college football. And unlike Edwards, Carr isn’t afraid to air it out: he is one of just 14 quarterbacks in the FBS averaging more than 10 yards per passing attempt.
What are the odds?
At the time of publication, Notre Dame is a 21.5-point favorite in the game.
Featured image via Paul Barnick
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