Notre Dame Beats UNC 37-26 as C.J. Carr Throws 4 Touchdowns

Q: Did a single missed extra point in the rain cost North Carolina a massive upset against No. 3 Notre Dame?

No. The missed extra point mattered, but it did not by itself cost North Carolina the upset. The miss came at a pivotal moment. Jaden Jefferson’s 98-yard kickoff return to open the second half cut Notre Dame’s lead to 21-20 instead of tying the game in rainy conditions, and in a close game that changed the immediate pressure on both sides. In that sense, it was costly. But the larger evidence points elsewhere. After that play, Notre Dame answered with the game’s defining stretch: a 17-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that ate clock, included three fourth-down conversions, and ended with C.J. Carr’s fourth-down touchdown run. The Irish then added another touchdown and a field goal, while controlling the third quarter with 13:18 of possession and 122 rushing yards in that period alone. UNC’s defense wore down badly. North Carolina also hurt itself earlier. Billy Edwards Jr. threw two interceptions in the first half, both helping Notre Dame build its 21-7 surge. The Tar Heels finished without a sack, allowed 475 total yards and 241 rushing yards, and struggled to get off the field once Notre Dame leaned into its power run game. Rain likely made kicking and execution harder, so the missed PAT deserves context rather than blame. Even if UNC had tied it at 21-21, Notre Dame’s response suggests the Irish still had the stronger control of the game. The miss was a significant swing, not the single reason North Carolina lost.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 3

No. 3 Notre Dame improved to 5-0 with a 37-26 road win at North Carolina after pulling away in the second half at rainy Kenan Stadium.
C.J. Carr drove the result, completing 21 of 29 passes for 234 yards and four touchdowns while adding a 3-yard rushing score on a 17-play drive with three fourth-down conversions.
UNC briefly threatened after trailing 21-7, scoring just before halftime and opening the third quarter with Jaden Jefferson’s 98-yard kickoff return to cut the deficit to 21-20 after a missed extra point.
Jordan Faison gave Notre Dame its biggest receiving spark with eight catches for 132 yards and two touchdowns, while the Irish answered UNC’s surge with 16 straight points to seal it.
North Carolina fell to 2-2; Notre Dame hosts Stanford next week, while the Tar Heels travel to Pittsburgh.