North Carolina football doesn’t exactly have a sterling track record against elite competition. The Tar Heels are 1-45-1 all-time against opponents ranked in the Top 5 of the Associated Press poll.
They’ll get another chance Saturday when No. 3 Notre Dame visits Kenan Stadium. Kickoff in Chapel Hill is set for noon on ESPN.
UNC enters as a three-touchdown underdog and will face one of the toughest defenses in the country. While UNC has been stout on defense in its own right, this will be the toughest test yet for Bill Belichick’s stopping unit.
Here is everything you need to know about the matchup, including how to watch and listen, injury updates, series history, stat comparisons and more.
🔄 Last Updated: September 29, 2026 12:05 pm
🏟️ How to Watch Notre Dame at UNC Football
Matchup: Notre Dame (4-0) at North Carolina (2-1)
Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: Kenan Memorial Stadium (Chapel Hill, NC)
TV: ESPN
Broadcast Crew: Wes Durham (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (analyst), Taylor McGregor (sideline)
UNC Radio: Flagship stations WCHL (97.9 FM / 1360 AM) and WPTF (98.5 FM / 680 AM) in the Triangle and other stations within the Tar Heel Sports Network
📊UNC Football vs Notre Dame betting odds
Spread: Notre Dame -21.5
Over/Under Total: 47.5 points
Moneyline: Notre Dame -3500 | UNC +1280
Lines courtesy FanDuel Sportsbook. Odds will be refreshed periodically during the week. All lines are subject to change.
🩹 Notre Dame at UNC Injury & Availability Updates
North Carolina
Bill Belichick offered no comprehensive injury and player availability report Monday. Freshman wide receiver CJ Sadler’s status is worth monitoring after he missed the Clemson game. When asked Monday whether Sadler would be available against Notre Dame, Belichick told media, “We’ll see.”
Notre Dame
The Fighting Irish released their weekly injury report Monday. Wide receiver Quincy Porter will miss the remainder of the season because of a knee injury that requires surgery. Safety Luke Talich returns from a wrist injury.
Questionable: Owen Strebig
Out for the game:
- OL Matty Augustine
- DB Brauntae Johnson
- DT Jason Onye
- DL Christopher Burgess Jr.
- DL Tiki Hola
- DB Chaz Smith
- OL Chris Terek
⏪ Last Time Out
Notre Dame 49, Purdue 10 (Sept. 26) – The Fighting Irish improved to 4-0, using an explosive 28-point second quarter to pull away. Drayk Bowen returned a fumble for a touchdown. CJ Carr threw three TD passes.
Clemson 28, UNC 20 (Sept. 19) – The Tar Heels controlled both lines of scrimmage in the early part of the game and jumped to a 17-3 lead. But Clemson eventually wore the Heels down, taking the lead for good after a lengthy lightning and storm delay.
🔍 What to Know About UNC Football vs Notre Dame
Billy Edwards Jr. remains QB1 for North Carolina
Despite solid beginnings in the Clemson game, Billy Edwards Jr. ended up with an unsightly stat line by the end – 13-of-30 for 135 yards, one touchdown and a late-game interception. But UNC coach Bill Belichick said on Monday that Edwards remains the starter heading into the Notre Dame contest.
When asked directly, “Do you expect to continue with Billy as your starter?”, Belichick’s response was short and to the point: “I do.” He then explained that UNC’s offensive struggles against Clemson went beyond the quarterback and placed accountability on the entire unit.
For the season, Edwards has completed 44 of 78 passes (56.4 percent) for 611 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Backup Miles O’Neill is 3-of-6 for 22 yards. No other UNC quarterback has thrown a pass thus far.
Tar Heels offense will have its hands full with No. 3 Irish
Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame team has been dominant in 2026, winning each of its first four games by at least 17 points. The Irish opened the season beating Wisconsin 41-13, then topped Rice 52-0 and Michigan State 27-10 before cruising past Purdue 49-10 on Saturday.
The Notre Dame defense has been menacing. The Irish have only allowed 8.25 points per game thus far, No. 2 nationally in scoring defense.
They’ve allowed opponents just 199.3 yards per game, which is first in FBS. Notre Dame is also top 10 nationally in passing yards allowed per game (145.5) and yards allowed per play (3.6).
UNC, meanwhile, hasn’t exactly charged up and down the field. The Tar Heels rank 93rd nationally in total offense, averaging 366.0 yards per contest, and 102nd in scoring offense (23.33 points per game).
The Heels have to hope their own defense can keep them in the game. UNC has only allowed 13.7 points per contest through three contests.
UNC will honor 12 football legends
Bill Belichick has leaned into North Carolina’s football history and lore since taking over as head coach. On Saturday, UNC plans to honor 12 different collegiate and professional legends with ties to the Tar Heels with a new display within Kenan Stadium.
Players being recognized include three professional Hall of Famers – Julius Peppers, Lawrence Taylor and Chris Hanburger – as well as nine college Hall of Famers – Charlie Justice, Carl Snavely, Jim Tatum, Art Weiner, Don McCauley, Dré Bly, William Fuller, coach Mack Brown and Harris Barton.
Notre Dame on a mission after playoff snub
The Marcus Freeman coaching era at Notre Dame, which started in 2022, has had its bumps and bruises for sure. The Irish lost at home to Marshall as a three-touchdown favorite in 2022 and fell to Northern Illinois early in 2024.
Notre Dame dropped two games – to Miami and Texas A&M – to open the 2025 campaign, and those defeats ultimately kept them out of the College Football Playoff. So far, the Irish haven’t come close to stubbing their toes in 2026, spurred on in part by last year’s playoff snub.
Freeman has adopted “Leave No Doubt” as a team mantra, and his team has certainly lived up to the slogan so far. UNC has had an extra week to prepare for the Irish, and it will be interesting to see if the Heels can introduce any doubt into the Notre Dame equation on Saturday.
Irish winning the turnover margin
Notre Dame has only turned the ball over once through four games – an interception by quarterback CJ Carr. In comparison, the Irish have forced nine opponent fumbles, recovering six, and picked off three passes. That’s a +8 turnover margin.
UNC’s struggles against elite competition
Per CFBTrack.com, North Carolina is 9-82-1 all-time against opponents who were ranked in the Top 10 by the Associated Press at the time of the game. The Heels are 1-45-1 all-time when those teams are in the Top 5.
The lone Top 5 victory came in October 2004. John Bunting’s Tar Heels were a three-touchdown underdog against Miami but knocked off the No. 4 Hurricanes 31-28 on a 42-yard field goal by Connor Barth as time expired at Kenan Stadium.
UNC’s one tie against a Top 5 team came against Tulane (14-14) in 1939.
The last time North Carolina faced a team in the Top 5, the opponent also was Notre Dame. The No. 2 Irish outdueled quarterback Sam Howell and the Tar Heels 31-17 in 2020, also in Chapel Hill.
UNC took No. 1 Clemson to the wire in 2019 before losing 21-20. North Carolina coach Mack Brown opted to go for two after a late-game touchdown. The attempt failed, and the Tigers escaped Chapel Hill by a nose.
📊 Stats and Trends
Notre Dame Team Highlights (2026 Season)
- Points For: 42.3 points per game (ranked 17th nationally).
- Points Against: 8.3 points per game (ranked 2nd nationally).
- Passing Offense: 275.0 passing yards per game.
- Rushing Offense: 141.8 rushing yards per game.
- Passing Defense: 145.5 passing yards per game
- Rushing Defense: 53.8 rushing yards per game.
Notre Dame Individual Statistical Leaders
- Passing: CJ Carr – 963 yards, 9 TDs, 1 INT
- Rushing: Aneyas Williams – 224 yards, 4 TDs
- Receiving: Micah Gilbert – 334 yards, 2 TDs
- Tackles: Drayk Bowen – 22 total tackles
- Interceptions: Three players with 1 each
UNC Team Highlights (2026 Season)
- Points For: 23.33 points per game
- Points Against: 13.67 points per game
- Passing Offense: 211.0 passing yards per game.
- Rushing Offense: 155.0 rushing yards per game.
- Passing Defense: 189.3 passing yards per game
- Rushing Defense: 123.0 rushing yards per game.
UNC Individual Statistical Leaders
- Passing: Billy Edwards Jr. – 611 yards, 3 TDs, 1 INT
- Rushing: Benjamin Hall – 215 yards, 0 TD
- Receiving: Johnny Thurman – 183 yards, 1 TD
- Tackles: Derek McDonald – 24 tackles
- Interceptions: Greg Smith II – 2 interceptions
Notable
- Notre Dame is averaging 6.6 yards per play, while allowing just 3.6. UNC’s offense has managed 6.1 yards per play, while allowing 4.6.
- The Irish have punted just eight times in four games, while opponents have punted 22 times.
- Notre Dame has only allowed three touchdowns thus far.
- The Irish have been productive in the red zone, scoring on 18 of 19 chances – including 14 touchdowns.
- UNC’s red zone offense has been solid, 10-of-11. But the Heels only have six touchdowns, settling for four field goals – including one late against Clemson that left the door open for the Tigers.
📚 Series History
- Notre Dame leads the all-time series 21-2
- Last Meeting: Notre Dame 45, UNC 32 (Sept. 24, 2022)
- First Meeting: Notre Dame 42, UNC 6 (Nov. 12, 1949 at Yankee Stadium)
- The Tar Heels and Fighting Irish played nearly every year from 1949 through 1962.
- Notre Dame beat UNC 32-0 during its run to an undefeated national title in 1966.
- Both of North Carolina’s wins have come at home – 29-24 in 2008 and 12-7 in 1960. Otherwise it has been futility for the Tar Heels, including losing nine of the last 10 matchups and each of the last five.
🔗 More North Carolina College Football Coverage
- UNCTar Heels Football Schedule
- ACC Standings
- 2026 week-by-week schedule
- North Carolina college football scores
