3 Areas That Must Lead UNC Charge Against Notre Dame

The Tar Heels will have their hands full against the Fighting Irish on Saturday.

Sep 12, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Bill Belichick on the field before the game at Kenan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The North Carolina Tar Heels can't allow the second-half blunder against Clemson to snowball into a significant losing streak.

That said, the Tar Heels host No. 3 Notre Dame this weekend, likely marking a second consecutive loss. The opening statement may sound contradictory, but I worry the Tar Heels' season-derailing issues are tied more to Week 6 and beyond. With that in mind, here are three areas North Carolina needs to be consistent on Saturday.

Quarterback Play

Sep 19, 2026; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; University of North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. (9) passes the ball late in the fourth quarter against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ashley Tumlin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This narrative has topped discussion this week, but the last time we saw Billy Edwards Jr. on the field, he led the Tar Heels' second-half collapse in Week 3. For North Carolina to pull off the upset and shock the nation, the sixth-year signal caller must be excellent, completing passes on all three levels of the field.

However, Edwards Jr. needs to focus on improving his weaknesses and refining the areas of his game that should be manageable. If the veteran quarterback can operate from the pocket, play efficiently and explosively, and protect the football, the Tar Heels could stick around much longer than expected.

The Rushing Attack

Sep 19, 2026; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; University of North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Miles O'Neill (8) hands the ball off to University of North Carolina Tar Heels running back Benjamin Hall (7) late in the fourth quarter against the Clemson Tigers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ashley Tumlin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Another way for North Carolina to compete in this game is to control the clock. It's easier said than done, but the path is to control the clock on the ground. The Tar Heels possess the personnel to execute this plan, with Benjamin Hall, Demon June, and Jaylen McGill splitting backfield work.

Hall is the clear RB1 and dominated against Clemson, rushing for 130 yards on 18 carries, while adding one reception for 15 yards and one touchdown. From UNC's perspective, the rushing attack has to set the tone if it wants any chance of competing in this contest.

Pass Rush

Aug 29, 2026; Dublin, Co. Dublin, IRL; TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Jaden Craig (1) breaks the tackle of North Carolina Tar Heels defensive lineman Jaylen Harvey (11) in the first half at Aviva Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Laszlo Geczo-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Generating pressure on opposing quarterbacks has been an easy task for the Tar Heels this season, with defensive tackle Xavier Lewis leading the way with six sacks. Penn State transfer Jaylen Harvey has also been an energizer in that department with two sacks through three games. The X-factor in this entire discussion is Melkart Abou Jaoude.

Abou Jaoude, who led the ACC in sacks last season (10.5), has missed the last two games with a hand injury he suffered against TCU in Week 0. It would be great to see this defensive line at full strength against the Fighting Irish. Even if Abou Jaoude misses, this unit has enough pieces to be effective against the pass and run.