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Notre Dame football: 3 Keys to victory against UNC in Week 9

By Brad Weiss

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 27: Kyren Williams #23 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs against Jahlil Taylor #52 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of their game at Kenan Stadium on November 27, 2020 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 27: Kyren Williams #23 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs against Jahlil Taylor #52 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of their game at Kenan Stadium on November 27, 2020 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 27: Isaiah Foskey #7 and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah #6 of the Notre Dame football pressure Sam Howell #7 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of their game at Kenan Stadium on November 27, 2020, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA – NOVEMBER 27: Isaiah Foskey #7 and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah #6 of the Notre Dame football pressure Sam Howell #7 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half of their game at Kenan Stadium on November 27, 2020, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

If the Notre Dame football team wants to beat UNC in Week 9, they have to execute on these three keys to victory to move to 7-1.

On Saturday night, the Notre Dame football team will welcome the UNC Tar Heels to Notre Dame Stadium in a crucial Week 9 matchup for the Irish. While the Irish have been up and down all season long, they do sit with a 6-1 record, a No. 11 overall ranking, and a chance to continue to stack wins.

To make it seven wins on the season, they have to take care of business against UNC, and here are three keys to victory.

Notre Dame football: 3 Keys to victory against UNC in Week 9

Limit the big plays

The North Carolina Tar Heels have the talent to attack deep, or on the ground, and the Irish have to make sure they account for both situations. If the Tar Heels are going to hang with the Notre Dame football team on Saturday night, they are going to need some big plays, especially from quarterback Sam Howell.

Last season, Notre Dame was able to force the Tar Heels into being very predictable on the offensive side, and they dominated them in the run game, holding them to less than three yards per carry. Through the air, Howell tossed for only 200+ yards and a score, as North Carolina did not score a touchdown after scoring 14 points in the first quarter.

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