Notre Dame football wins likely final regular season test over UNC
By Brad Weiss
Notre Dame football wins likely final regular season test over UNC
Second Half
The Tar Heels got the ball to start the second half but could do nothing with it, as a penalty forced North Carolina into a third-and-9 that they could not convert. In their first possession of the second half, the Irish went nearly the length of the field, putting together a 97-yard drive that gave them a 24-17 lead that they would not relinquish.
North Carolina punted the next time they got the ball, and after an Irish missed field goal, the teams would trade off punts on five straight possessions. From there, the Irish put the game away, thanks to an eight-play, 89-yard drive that culminated in Kyren Williams’ third touchdown of the game.
The Tar Heels turned it over on downs, and the Irish were able to run out the clock, sealing a 31-17 victory over the last real test of their regular season. Plenty of things stood out in this one, including just how good this Notre Dame defense is against some of the best running backs in the country.
Against Travis Etienne and Javonte Williams, two players expected to go early in the 2021 NFL Draft, they held the duo to 28 yards apiece, which is an absolutely absurd achievement. Edge rusher Adetokunbo Ogundeji stood out in this one, as the defense stood up against one of the high-powered offenses in the country, and basically shut them down.