Notre Dame looked like they forgot to unpack any energy or interest when they got underway Saturday at North Carolina but in spite of not putting a single point on the board and trailing at the end of the first quarter, the Tommy Rees guided offense came to life and the defense pretty much dominated en-route to a 45-32 victory that was nowhere near as close as the final score indicated.
The win moves Notre Dame to 2-2 on the year which is a disappointment compared to preseason expectations but feels pretty good after just how awfully the Marshall debacle went down.
So what finally clicked for the Irish and what left questions? Here are five instant takeaways from the 45-32 Fighting Irish victory.