Notre Dame vs. North Carolina: What to Know Before Kickoff

The North Carolina Tar Heels will face No. 3 Notre Dame in a crucial matchup at 12 p.m. EST on Saturday, October 3. Locked On Tar Heels host Isaac Schade predicts that the Tar Heels will need to match Notre Dame physically, but their margin for error will be narrow. The Tar Heels recently suffered a 28-20 loss against Clemson, which demonstrated both their strengths and weaknesses.

While the team built a 17-3 lead in Death Valley, they struggled to regain rhythm once they fell out of their offensive script. Quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. completed only 13 of 30 passes. Schade advises the Tar Heels to avoid obvious passing situations against the Irish, emphasizing easier throws, a tailored plan for Edwards, movement in the pocket, and a focus on tight end Jelani Thurman.

Defensively, tackling will be crucial, as the Tar Heels showed they can make plays but failed to finish tackles as depth became an issue late. The Kenan Stadium crowd can matter only if UNC keeps the game competitive early, with a noon kickoff potentially muting the home-field advantage if Notre Dame starts strong. UNC's formula for success includes running the football, protecting possession, avoiding turnovers, and making Notre Dame play a full four quarters.