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Notre Dame football: Defense will be tested in a big way vs UNC

By Brad Weiss

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 27: Isaiah Foskey #7 and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah #6 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 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 Fighting Irish 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) /
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The Notre Dame football defense has played some good football this season, but Saturday against UNC will be the ultimate test for them so far.

In Week 1, the Notre Dame football team took on the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft in Ohio State’s CJ Stroud. Going into the game as heavy underdogs, the Irish went toe-to-toe with the Buckeyes for three quarters, before letting the game slip away late.

A key for the Irish in that game was how well the defense played early on, something they failed to do the following week against Marshall. That was an atrocious effort on both sides of the ball for the Notre Dame football team, though they rebounded against Cal in Week 3.

Now, they face what could be their toughest test yet, especially with Jaxon Smith-Njigba getting hurt during the Week 1 matchup inside Ohio Stadium. The UNC Tar Heels are downright explosive on the offensive side of the ball, averaging over 50 points per game, led by a quarterback who can hurt you on the ground, and especially through the air.

Notre Dame football to be tested by elite UNC offense

Drake Maye is having a terrific season under center, throwing for over 900 yards and 11 touchdowns through three games. He is also doing a great job spreading the wealth, as the Tar Heels have seven guys who have receiving touchdowns on the season, including four with two.

Running back Omarion Hampton is no slouch either, as he averages six yards per carry, and has already scored five times in 38 touches carrying the football. It is a well-balanced offense that can score at any time, so this highly-touted Notre Dame football defense better have a good game plan on Saturday.

To make matters worse, the Tar Heels are coming off their bye week, so they have had an extra week to watch the Notre Dame football team play, and prepare for this home matchup. It has been a real roller coaster for the Notre Dame football team this season, but a road win against a tough UNC team would go a long way in them starting to get things moving in the right direction.

To do so, the defense must be what we thought it would be this season, elite.

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