Notre Dame’s 44-34 win over North Carolina showed the good things, bad things, and improving things.
With the first College Football Playoff ranking coming out later tonight, the Irish must keep the momentum going even if there’s no chance of making the playoff. A New Year’s Six bid.
Notre Dame’s offense looked as good as it looked early on. Jack Coan finished the night going 16-24 for 213 yards and a touchdown pass. Heck, Coan even had a 21 yard run. Something no one expected.
Michael Mayer continued to get back to form after his injury, snagging 4 catches for 51 yards. Like I’ve said before, Mayer’s presence is about more than just his numbers. He opens things up especially for the wide receivers.
Wide receivers’ Avery Davis and Kevin Austin combined for 9 catches for 102 yards.
The bad reared it’s ugly head in the second half. The defense allowed the Tar Heels to score on three explosive plays. Failed assignments and poor tackling led to a 53 yard touchdown run by Ty Chandler, a 33 yard touchdown pass to Antoine Green, and an inexcusable, 31 yard touchdown run by Sam Howell.
It looked like Notre Dame had turned the corner on giving up plays like this but only time will tell if it was a one night thing or is it hear to stay for the rest of the season.
The offensive line and running game has improved immensely since the beginning of the season. Kyren Williams rushed for 199 yards including an incredible 91 yard touchdown run. Freshman Logan Diggs chipped in for another 42 yards on the ground.
It helps that the coaching staff has found ways to expand Tyler Buchner’s role as the season has progressed. Buchner’s dual threat ability makes defenses play honest on the backside allowing running lanes to develop and stay open long enough for Williams to take advantage.
Up next for Notre Dame is Navy. It’s the week where the term “assignment football” gets emphasized. The Irish should be able to handle anything Navy throws at them.
The trouble spot could be UVA’s explosive offense. The game will be in Charlottesville in what should be a hostile crowd. The Fighting Irish will definitely need Kyle Hamilton for that one.
Realistically, Notre Dame will need to win out to get a New Year’s Six bowl game. To do that they’ll need to continue to build on the areas they’ve improved while limiting those pesky explosive plays.
