Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/393046
GAME PREVIEW: NORTH CAROLINA Carolina fell off the radar in college football relevancy this season … which could make it all the more of a "trap." Notre Dame managed to eke out three‑point victories in the proverbial sandwich games from the past two seasons. Last year, it was the 37‑34 victory in the Shamrock Series versus Arizona State, which came in between a 35‑21 home loss to No. 14 Oklahoma and a 14‑10 defeat at home of top rival USC. Two years ago, it was the 17‑14 con‑ quest of Brigham Young, which came in between an emotionally drenching 20‑13 overtime victory at home ver‑ sus Stanford and the 30‑13 upset of Oklahoma in Norman. The Irish had trailed most of that game against the Cougars before rallying to win in the fourth quarter. ALL HIT, NO FIELD The North Carolina offense has a so‑called problem: It sometimes scores too quickly. Through the first four games while averaging just more than 40 points per contest, the Tar Heels had 18 touchdown drives of three minutes or less. The problem is that put their defense back on the field too soon. Entering the weekend of Oct. 4, no team in the 125‑team Football Bowl Subdivision had a more pronounced disparity in scoring offense and scor‑ ing defense national rankings than North Carolina. During their 2‑2 start the Tar Heels were No. 22 in scoring offense with an average of 40.8 points per game — but No. 123 in scoring defense while surrendering 44.0 points per game. If there could be a "designated hitter" rule in college football, North Carolina would take it because it epitomizes an all‑hit, no‑field baseball player. The Tar Heels also were No. 124 in total defense (543.0 yards allowed per game), No. 120 in passing yards sur‑ rendered per game (353.0), 108th in pass efficiency defense while allow‑ ing 8.7 yards per attempt and No. 91 against the run (190.0 yards given up per game). Signs of trouble for defensive coor‑ dinator Dan Disch's troops came in the season‑opening 56‑29 victory versus Football Championship Subdivision foe Liberty, which had six turnovers but still moved the ball (although eight points came on a fumble return and a safety). The next week in a 31‑27 victory against San Diego State, the Aztecs racked up 509 yards total offense but hurt themselves by throwing three in‑ terceptions. On Sept. 20, the Tar Heels hit their nadir with a 70‑41 loss at East Carolina — the first time the program had ever allowed 70 points — while permitting the Pirates a mind‑boggling 789 yards of total offense (446 passing and 343 rushing). The next week, Clemson true fresh‑ man quarterback DeShaun Watson made his starting debut, completing 27 of 36 passes for 435 yards with a school‑record six touchdown tosses in a 50‑35 defeat of the Tar Heels. Back in 2010, current Notre Dame