Notre Dame football vs. UNC Tar Heels: 3 things to watch in Week 9
By Brad Weiss
The Notre Dame football team takes on UNC in Week 9, and here are three things to keep an eye on during the matchup on Saturday night.
The Notre Dame football team came out of their bye week in a big way this past weekend, trouncing rival USC to the tune of a 31-16 victory. The Irish were finally able to get it going on the ground, and despite a big day from USC star wideout Drake London, they were able to minimize the damage on the defensive side of the ball.
With that game behind them, they turn their attention to UNC, and here are three things to keep an eye on in the matchup.
Notre Dame football vs. UNC Tar Heels: 3 things to watch
How good is Sam Howell?
Going into the season, many felt that Sam Howell would end up being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, but he has had a lot of bumps along the way. Howell lost his top two running backs from a year ago, but talent remained on the outside, giving the Tar Heels hope that he would lead them to a possible CFP appearance.
It is not like he is having a bad season, throwing for over 1,800 yards and 18 touchdowns against six interceptions, but five of those TD tosses came against Virginia alone. He can put up those kinds of numbers every time he steps onto the field, but Notre Dame was able to stop him last season, and it will be interesting to see if they can do it again.