For a while, UNC football’s game vs. No. 3 Notre Dame looked like its opening game against TCU last season.
The Tar Heels scored a touchdown impressively on their first drive. A response by their opponent and some painful turnovers then made it so the game almost got out of hand. But a great goal-line stand by an improving defense, followed by a 97-yard drive by a quarterback who had been struggling, turned it into a one-score game at the half.
Notre Dame was inside the Carolina 5-yard line with a 21-7 lead when it went for the end zone on fourth down, trying to blow the game open in the first half. But good coverage led to a missed pass by Irish QB CJ Carr and handed the ball back to Carolina’s Billy Edwards. Edwards — who, despite the early turnovers, arguably played one of his best college games across six years — led the Heels on a field-long drive before finding tight end Jelani Thurman for the first of two touchdowns. It was suddenly 21-14 and the shades of that 50-year old upset over nationally ranked Florida were dancing in UNC fans’ heads as clouds hovered ominously over The Old Lady in the Pines.
Then the rains came at Kenan Stadium, and Notre Dame proved that it could run and pass in any conditions as one of the best teams in the country. True freshman Jaden Jefferson’s spectacular 98-yard return of the second-half kickoff made it a one point game before Reese Verhoff missed the extra point that sent Bill Belichick scowling on the sideline. From there, the gold-helmeted visitors controlled the game until it was out of hand. The Irish ran for 166 yards on 30 carries in the second half, showing off difference between playing with 4- or 5-star recruits and high-impact transfers compared to Carolina’s mostly 3-stars recruits. And until UNC decides whether it wants to, or can, match the best programs with their pocketbooks they will be simply playing for bowl bids or occasionally an ACC championship.
UNC DL Leroy Jackson III pressures Notre Dame QB CJ Carr during the Tar Heels’ game vs. the Fighting Irish on Saturday, Oct. 3. The defensive stop by Carolina in the second quarter proved pivotal to the Tar Heels keeping the game within a competitive margin. (Photo via UNC Athletic Communications.)
The 37-26 win means Notre Dame defeated the Tar Heels for the 24th time; one of their only two losses to UNC was vacated by the scandal in Butch Davis era. With Mack Brown among those on campus over the weekend as the program honored its Hall of Famers, it was a reminder that even one of his best teams could not stay on the field with the Fighting Irish in 2020.
The Heels played their hearts out and looked, for a moment, like they could maybe earn their first win over top 3-ranked opponent. From there, the gold-helmeted visitors controlled the game until it was out of hand.
But the end result resembled a regular renewal between their basketball teams. Belichick was more animated on the drenched sideline than usual, debating the refs over certain calls while his team repeatedly missed tackles against bruising Notre Dame runners. Carolina cannot win games over favored opponents if they can’t tackle better and have plays like the blown coverage on the third Irish touchdown. They also jawed far too much with the Irish, who walked away with more discipline.
“We’re proud of the way our guys competed, we just weren’t able to make enough plays,” Belichick said after the game. “We’ve just got to do a better job, obviously coach it better, play it better. Look at the things you did well, you try to keep doing those well. Look at the things you need to improve on. You try to improve on it, regardless of what the final score is.”
After his shaky first quarter with the two interceptions, Edwards responded well despite continuing to take some ferocious hits from the massive Irish front defensive line. While less efficient than his counterpart, he nearly matched the final stat line of Carr, who is a projected first-round NFL Draft pick. Following the bad ending at Clemson, he showed potential to lead Carolina to a bowl game.
(Photo via UNC Athletic Communications.)
That feels like the definitive goal now for UNC’s season — with its upcoming schedule being road games at Pitt and Duke, home games against Syracuse and Miami, and a three-game finish against Virginia, Louisville and N.C. State. A 6-6 record in Belichick’s second year at the helm, versus a tough schedule, would be tangible signs of improvement beyond the moral victories of not getting blown out on the field.
But with college football in more flux than ever, Carolina faces an uncertain future. Will the Tar Heels remain in the ACC? Will they make another coaching change? Will alumni and donors continue to step up their giving and not see UNC fall further behind in raising the money needed to compete for the best players?
Playing closer with Notre Dame was certainly a good sign. But seeing the winning coaches and former players being honored at the game was another reminder that Carolina football is not what it once was — and neither is the industry.
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs on 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro during football and basketball seasons.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
