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

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MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – JANUARY 02: Sam Howell #7 of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on before the Capital One Orange Bowl against the Texas A&M Aggies at Hard Rock Stadium on January 02, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

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

Keep Sam Howell on the sidelines

The North Carolina Tar Heels are only going to go as far as Sam Howell will take them, and throughout his career with the school, he has established himself as a top signal-caller in the country. However, he cannot hurt the Irish if he is watching the game, so the best thing they can do is control the clock with their run game, and keep Howell on the sidelines.

Howell and Josh Downs are a dynamic combo, and we all know that Howell can also get the job done running the ball, as he has almost 500 yards on the ground this season. He is the kind of quarterback who can hurt you in so many ways, and he would like nothing more than to get revenge on the Irish for the beating they put on the Tar Heels last season.

Nov 27, 2020; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Kyren Williams (23) is lifted into the air by offensive lineman Aaron Banks (69) after he scored a touchdown near the end of the fourth quarter at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Notre Dame football vs. UNC: 3 Tar Heels who must be stopped in Week 9

The Notre Dame football team takes on UNC this weekend, and here are three Tar Heels that must be stopped in the Week 9 matchup.

If the Irish can accomplish these three things, they will be in great shape on Saturday night, and should cruise to a 7-1 start to the season. However, UNC has big-play ability, and a legitimate first-round quarterback, so while the Tar Heels are an unranked team, they are far from a cupcake for the Irish.

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