Nick Shepkowski’s Notre Dame-North Carolina Game Prediction: 8-0
This is a battle of old-school versus new-school in Chapel Hill. Notre Dame is built on ball control and defense while North Carolina is built to score at will on anyone.
I’ve felt icky about this game since the second it was announced and didn’t think any favors for Notre Dame occurred with it being played in late November as the Tar Heels offense is absolutely humming.
They’re going to get scores, but how much can they be limited is the question.
Nobody can control the clock like Notre Dame’s offense and I expect them to want to eat the clock and avoid a shootout. Not that the Irish can’t win that but for each score required to get a W, Notre Dame’s chances decrease.
Notre Dame’s lines must play to the level they’re both capable of. Offensively in sustaining long drives and defensively to prevent successful deep passes that North Carolina thrives on.
I’ve gone back and forth but the only game Notre Dame has lost since the start of 2018 that they weren’t supposed to lose was at Michigan in the middle of a monsoon.
Notre Dame’s offense wins the time of possession battle by holding onto the ball for roughly 36 minutes on Friday, the final chunk coming on a game-winning drive led by Ian Book as the Irish move to 9-0 by the skin of their teeth.
Prediction: Notre Dame 34, North Carolina 31