Notre Dame vs North Carolina Prediction, Game Preview

Notre Dame vs North Carolina game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 4 game on Saturday, September 24

Notre Dame vs North Carolina prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 4, Saturday, September 24


Notre Dame vs North Carolina How To Watch

Date: Saturday, September 24
Game Time: 2:30  ET
Venue: Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC
How To Watch: ABC
Record: Notre Dame (1-2), North Carolina (3-0)
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Notre Dame vs North Carolina Game Preview

Why Notre Dame Will Win

Is that the turning point? Was the broken up Hail Mary and the collective sigh of relief the moment when the pressure valve was released and this Irish team can start playing like it’s supposed to?

Fortunately, North Carolina might be the perfect cure for an ailing offense.

The Irish can’t move the chains, can’t run the ball, and can’t get anything consistently moving. However, the passing game was sharper and more accurate with Drew Pyne in least week – 17-of-23 for 150 yards and two scores – and there’s too much talent up front to not be better.

Florida A&M threw on the North Carolina defense. Appalachian State did everything it wanted to late against it, and Georgia State was able to come up with 421 yards of total offense.

The Tar Heels are 123rd in the nation in total defense, last among ACC teams in scoring D, and not to school shame, but again … Florida A&M, Appalachian State, Georgia State.

The Irish need to get going in this. However …

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Why North Carolina Will Win

Maybe Notre Dame really just can’t score.

Maybe this is it. Maybe the team really is just this weak offensively, and that means it’s not going to take much for the rested Tar Heels to put this away.

QB Drake Maye is hitting everything – including a goofy barb against NC State (“People who go to State just can’t get into Carolina”) the irreversibly-depressed world labeled as “inappropriate” – making 74% of his throws with 11 touchdown passes and just one pick.

Star WR Josh Downs should be back after suffering a shoulder injury, the running game that’s been amazing should at least take some of the pressure off, and the offense that’s averaging 51 points per game should be a problem.

Along with the great O, North Carolina has another weapon – punter Ben Kiernan. The Tar Heels lead the nation in net punting. Force the Irish to go on long marches, and assume a whole lot of midfield stalls.

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What’s Going To Happen

Don’t just assume Notre Dame’s offense is as awful as you think.

Forgetting that Marshall couldn’t handle Bowling Green – that’s a great D that pitched a gem in South Bend. Ohio State is Ohio State, and Cal has a defense.

Along with struggling against two mediocre teams – to be nice – and Appalachian State, the North Carolina defense isn’t forcing takeaways.

Notre Dame won’t give the ball away enough to matter, Pyne will be efficient, and the running game will start working for the first time this season in a good, grinding win for Marcus Freeman to build off of.

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Notre Dame vs North Carolina Prediction, Line

Notre Dame 30, North Carolina 27
Line: North Carolina -1.5, o/u: 55.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Notre Dame vs North Carolina Must See Rating (out of 5): 4

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Notre Dame vs North Carolina Prediction, Game Preview

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs North Carolina Tar Heels prediction and game preview.

Notre Dame vs North Carolina prediction and game preview.


Notre Dame vs North Carolina Broadcast

Date: Friday, November 27
Game Time: 3:30 ET
Venue: Kenan Stadium, Chapel Hill, NC
Network: ABC

[jwplayer riZRN32G]

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Notre Dame (8-0) vs North Carolina (6-2) Game Preview

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Why Notre Dame Will Win

The Irish have the run D.

North Carolina will come into the stadium with its fancy schmancy big play attack that puts up 563 yards per game, and the really, really good defense it has faced so far is …

(crickets)

Clemson? No. Pitt? No. Miami? No.

The Fighting Irish were lit up by DJ Uiagalelei in the win over Clemson, but it held Travis Etienne and company to 34 yards on the ground. The Irish run D has allowed more than 100 yards twice – 106 to USF and 153 to Florida State – and only gave up more than 260 to DJ.

North Carolina lives on its offensive balance and versatility, but it lost the one time it didn’t run for 100 yards – 44-41 to Virginia – and it’s about to be one-dimensional.

Meanwhile, the Tar Heel D doesn’t take the ball away and can be hammered on when someone makes the attempt.

North Carolina, welcome to the Notre Dame offensive line.


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Why North Carolina Will Win

And the really good offense Notre Dame has faced, besides Clemson’s?

(crickets)

Has it faced D’Eriq King? No. Has it faced Virginia Tech? No. Has it faced Wake Forest? No.

Notre Dame is in the ACC’s top eight offensively, it stuffed Louisville – who’s sixth – and got rocked through the air by Clemson. It missed the other five teams in the top eight until this week.

The Tar Heels have the most efficient passing game in the ACC, the O keeps things moving with a good pace, and it has the all-around speed and explosion to hit the big plays to keep pushing.

This team doesn’t know how to play a full 60 minutes, but those 23 it shows up for, look out.

What’s Going To Happen

Florida State ran for 241 yards on North Carolina. Virginia ran for 210. The Tar Heels lost both games, and they almost got tagged by Virginia Tech when giving up 260.

Oh there will be flash, and there will be excitement, but Notre Dame will throw for 230 yards, run for 250, and barrel its way to the win by owning the lines. It’ll be a test, but the Irish will pass …

Barely.

CFN Experts Picks: College

Notre Dame vs North Carolina Prediction, Line

Notre Dame 40, North Carolina 34
Bet on Notre Dame vs North Carolina with BetMGM
Notre Dame -5, o/u: 67
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2

Must See Rating: 4.5

5: Thanksgiving beef tenderloin
1: Thanksgiving turkey

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