Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1546639
BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM SEPT. 26, 2026 43 OPPONENT ON DECK: NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS Date: Oct. 3, 2026 Site: Keenan Memorial Stadium (50,500) Kickoff: TBA All-time series: Notre Dame leads 21-2 Last meeting: Notre Dame 45, North Carolina 32 (Sept. 24, 2022, Keenan Memorial Stadium) 2026 Record: 2-1 (0-1 ACC) North Carolina head coach: Bill Belichick (6-8, 2nd season at UNC) Season summary: North Carolina has not let another chaotic offseason disrupt its ability to field a formidable defense. On Aug. 6, just three and a half weeks before the Tar Heels kicked off the 2026 campaign, head coach Bill Belichick announced that his son and defensive coordinator, Steve Belichick, was on medical leave. On Sept. 17, UNC announced that Steve Belichick would resign effective Oct. 27, when his medical leave ends. The announcement came as the uni- versity concluded an investigation into the football program's culture and climate. Despite the upheaval, the Tar Heels started the season 2-0 and surrendered only 13 points in two games amid Steve Belichick's absence. Sophomore defensive lineman Xavier Lewis de- serves some credit for the hot start. Through two games, he was tied for the national lead with 6.5 tackles for loss and was second in the country with 4 sacks. As a whole, the Tar Heels ranked 11th nationally in sacks per game at 3.5. In a Week 2 win against East Tennessee State, the offense took a major step forward thanks to another sophomore, running back Demon June. After the Tar Heels scored only one touchdown in Week 0, June reached the end zone three times Sept. 12 on just 7 carries for 33 yards. If North Carolina continues to find success this season, it will be because it can navigate the grow- ing pains of its young players. In total, the roster features 61 first- or second-year players. North Carolina's matchup with experienced Notre Dame should be its toughest to date. ✦ Head coach Bill Belichick led the Tar Heels to a 2-0 start in 2026 after a disastrous 4-8 debut last season. PHOTO COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA ATHLETICS OFFENSE Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. WR 1 Jordan Shipp 6-2 200 Jr. 16 Zamaurious Robertson 6-0 180 Fr. WR 4 Mason Humphrey 6-4 210 Sr. 11 Nathan Leacock 6-3 220 Sr. LT 66 Jordan Hall 6-8 310 Sr. 77 Trey Blue 6-6 310 So. LG 75 Andrew Threatt 6-3 320 Sr. 52 Rowan Byrne 6-5 300 So. C 56 Christo Kelly 6-4 310 5th 57 Will Conroy 6-2 300 Fr. RG 68 Aidan Banfield 6-3 300 Jr. 70 Byron Nelson 6-3 310 So. RT 71 Shaq McRoy 6-8 330 Jr. 72 Eidan Buchanan 6-9 330 So. TE 45 Jelani Thurman 6-6 245 Sr. 84 Shamar Easter 6-5 230 Sr. 87 Carson Sneed 6-6 240 Fr. WR 2 Trech Kekahuna 5-10 185 Sr. 14 CJ Sadler 5-9 190 Fr. QB 9 Billy Edwards Jr. 6-3 220 5th 8 Miles O'Neill 6-5 220 Jr. 3 Travis Burgess 6-4 210 Fr. RB 7 Benjamin Hall 5-11 230 Sr. 27 Jaylen McGill 5-10 220 So. or 0 Demon June 5-11 225 So. DEFENSE Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. DE 9 Melkart Abou Jaoude 6-5 260 5th 5 Donovan Hoilette Jr. 6-4 245 5th DT 0 Isaiah Johnson 6-2 320 5th 94 David Jackson III 6-2 260 Fr. DT 90 Xavier Lewis 6-0 260 So. 91 Leroy Jackson 6-1 300 Jr. DE 11 Jaylen Harvey 6-2 245 Jr. 12 Calvin Thomas 6-3 235 Fr. LB 15 Derek McDonald 6-4 240 5th 54 Timir Hickman-Collins 6-2 235 Jr. LB 10 Peyton Seelmann 6-1 230 Jr. 8 Jonathan Agumadu 6-2 220 Jr. CB 18 Jaiden Patterson 6-1 195 Jr. 21 Kenton Dopson III 6-0 200 Fr. CB 6 Tre Miller 5-10 180 Sr. 4 Jalon Thompson 5-11 195 Jr. NB 2 Kaleb Cost 5-11 195 Sr. 3 Ade Willie 6-1 195 5th S 1 Greg Smith 6-4 215 Jr. 16 Coleman Bryson 6-2 215 5th S 7 Peyton Waters 6-1 190 Jr. 24 Javion Butts 6-1 195 So. SPECIAL TEAMS Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. K 92 Aeron Burrell 6-2 190 Jr. or 97 David Green 5-10 180 Fr. P 92 Aeron Burrell 6-2 190 Jr. or 93 Jacob Horvath 6-1 185 Sr. 91 Adam McCann-Gibbs 6-0 210 Fr. LS 48 Gannon Burt 6-1 205 Sr. H 93 Jacob Horvath 6-1 185 Sr. PR 2 Trech Kekahuna 5-10 185 Sr. 1 Jordan Shipp 6-2 200 Jr. KR 2 Trech Kekahuna 5-10 185 Sr. 7 Benjamin Hall 5-11 230 Sr. NORTH CAROLINA TAR HEELS DEPTH CHART 2026 NORTH CAROLINA SCHEDULE Date Opponent (TV) Result/Time (ET) Aug. 29 vs. TCU* W, 15-10 Sept. 12 East Tennessee State W, 35-3 Sept. 19 at Clemson L, 28-20 Oct. 3 Notre Dame TBA Oct. 10 at Pittsburgh TBA Oct. 17 at Duke TBA Oct. 24 Syracuse TBA Oct. 31 Miami TBA Nov. 7 at Connecticut (CBSSN) 12 p.m. Nov. 14 Louisville TBA Nov. 21 at Virginia TBA Nov. 28 NC State TBA * at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland