Notre Dame still stands undefeated as a Playoff lurker, but will it survive the upcoming tougher stretch to the season? North Carolina may not look like a test on paper, but the Tar Heels have enough talent to give the Irish a run for their money Saturday in South Bend.
How to watch North Carolina vs. Notre Dame: Game guide, TV schedule, streaming, odds
Can the Irish continue their undefeated start to the season?
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
The Irish opened their season with victories over Rice, Michigan, Purdue and Syracuse -- not exactly a murderer’s row to start the season -- and some (Purdue and Syracuse, notably) gave Notre Dame more trouble than they should have. Brian Kelly’s squad atoned for that slow start last time out, manufacturing a come-from-behind victory against Stanford, one of the strongest defenses in the nation.
North Carolina entered the season ranked in the Top 25, but fell out after a narrow victory over San Diego State. Since then, the Tar Heels have lost three in a row -- at East Carolina, at Clemson, home against Virginia Tech -- and have struggled finding harmony in their quarterback rotation.
How to watch, listen, and stream
Game time: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBC
Online streaming: NBC Sports Live Extra
The numbers
Rankings and records: Notre Dame is ranked No. 6 in the AP Top 25 and No. 5 in the Coaches Poll. North Carolina is not ranked in either poll. The Irish are 5-0 this season, and the Tar Heels are 2-3. Notre Dame holds a 16-1 lead in the all-time series between the two schools.
Vegas: Notre Dame opened as a 16-point favorite. The line has since moved to 16.5. The over/under is 64 points.
Weather forecast: A high of 58 and sunny.
Two things at stake
Notre Dame has a chance to prove itself on a national stage next week against Florida State. The Irish need to remain undefeated in order to be taken seriously by the selection committee.
With a loss, North Carolina’s chances at a bowl berth would take a pretty severe hit.
One big matchup
Notre Dame passing offense vs. North Carolina passing defense. Quarterback Everett Golson has been a legitimate Heisman contender this season, bolstering his stock with a game-winning drive against Stanford that concluded with a rocket touchdown throw on fourth-and-11. The senior has passed for 13 touchdowns against three interceptions this season.
Meanwhile, North Carolina’s biggest weakness this season has been stopping the pass. The Tar Heels gave up 1,223 yards passing in a three-week stretch against San Diego State, East Carolina and Clemson, and have given up 12 passing touchdowns compared to three interceptions so far.
Further reading
For more on Notre Dame, head over to One Foot Down. For coverage of North Carolina, check out Tar Heel Blog.
See More:
