Notre Dame football vs. UNC Tar Heels: 3 things to watch in Week 9

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Kyle Hamilton(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame football vs. UNC Tar Heels: 3 things to watch

The loss of Kyle Hamilton

While the win against USC was a big one and showed that the Irish are the better team, Notre Dame suffered a significant injury to their best player in the contest. Kyle Hamilton hurt his knee during the first half against the Trojans, and while Brian Kelly said there was no structural damage, he is out for this one.

In his place, Notre Dame will turn to D.J. Brown, who has had a nice season of his own, racking up 24 tackles and an interception in five appearances. He is going to have to deal with a pesky Tar Heels passing attack, especially Josh Downs, who hauled in 11 passes from Sam Howell in the team’s win against Miami back on October 16.

Oct 23, 2021; South Bend, Indiana, USA; The Notre Dame Leprechaun carries a Notre Dame monogram flag after a Notre Dame touchdown in the fourth quarter against the USC Trojans at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports

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Notre Dame football is the favorite in this game, and it is certainly a game that they should win, especially at home in primetime. UNC is one of the final big tests on their schedule, and have been up-and-down all season long, but the loss of Hamilton is a huge one and could spell trouble for the Irish against a tough passing attack.

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