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Notre Dame Football: 4 biggest threats on the 2021 schedule

By Brad Weiss

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - OCTOBER 05: Head coach Brian Kelly and players of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish prepare to take the field for the game against the Bowling Green Falcons at Notre Dame Stadium on October 05, 2019 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - OCTOBER 05: Head coach Brian Kelly and players of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish prepare to take the field for the game against the Bowling Green Falcons at Notre Dame Stadium on October 05, 2019 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images) /
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Notre Dame Football (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
Notre Dame Football (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame Football: 4 biggest threats on the 2021 schedule

No. 2: UNC

The North Carolina Tar Heels have become a legitimate threat since Mack Brown took over back in 2019. This season, they will go into the year without their dynamic two-headed monster at running back, as both Michael Carter and Javonte Williams are expected to be selected in the 2021 NFL Draft.

While Carter and Williams are gone, Sam Howell returns at quarterback, and he has the talent to be a Heisman Trophy candidate before all is said and done. Howell is considered by many as the early favorite for being the No. 1 overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, and Notre Dame will have to do whatever they can to keep him in check.

Notre Dame was able to do just that last season, as their defense really stifled both the running attack and air attack of the Tar Heels. Howell will be without two key weapons in the passing game in Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome, but there is enough talent coming back, and his entire offensive line is back from a year ago.

On defense, Chazz Surratt is a big loss, but Brown has done a nice job stockpiling this program with talent. The Tar Heels could certainly be a nine-win team this upcoming season, and they should be fired up for this one after the Irish beat them handily at home in 2020.

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