Notre Dame football at North Carolina preview: Everything you need to know
Michael Wanbaugh
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Setting the table for Saturday afternoon's 23rd meeting between the Fighting Irish and the North Carolina Tar Heels at Kenan Stadium.
Chat transcript:Will Notre Dame be as patient with Marcus Freeman as Clemson was with Dabo Swinney?
Notre Dame (1-2) vs. North Carolina (3-0)
- When: Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EST
- Where: Kenan Memorial Stadium (51,000), Chapel Hill, N.C.
- TV/Radio: ABC, WSBT Radio (960 AM), WNSN (101.5 FM)
- Line: Notre Dame favored by half a point
- Series: Notre Dame leads series 20-2
- Last meeting: ND 44, North Carolina 34, Oct. 30, 2021 in South Bend
Preview coverage
▶ Notre Dame at North Carolina: These 4 players could make the difference
▶ Keys to the game: How can Notre Dame football knock off an undefeated North Carolina team?
▶ Tale of the Tape: Who has the edge when Notre Dame visits North Carolina?
Irish Items: Game 4 Notre Dame at North Carolina
▷ Saturday will mark the 23rd time that Notre Dame and North Carolina have met on the gridiron dating back to 1949 when the two teams played at Yankee Stadium. The Irish lead the series 20-2 and have won six of eight at Kenan Memorial Stadium.
▷ This will be Notre Dame’s fifth game against the Tar Heels since its scheduling agreement began with the ACC in 2014.
▷ The Irish have won 24 consecutive regular-season games against ACC opponents dating back to 2017. The last loss to an ACC team was 41-8 at Miami in a battle of top 10 teams.
▷ North Carolina’s wins came in 1960 (12-7) and 2008 (29-24), both in Chapel Hill.
▷ Last week vs. Cal, wide receiver Jayden Thomas, quarterback Drew Pyne and cornerback Benjamin Morrison each got their first career start. Both Thomas and Pyne are listed as starters against UNC.
▷ After struggling with creating pass rush the first two weeks, the Irish sacked Cal six times, boosting their average to 3.33 per game, 12th best in the country. Isaiah Foskey leads the team with three sacks and now has 18 for his career, which is 9th on ND’s all-time list that is led by Justin Tuck’s (2022-04) 24.5.
▷ North Carolina is coached by Mack Brown who has compiled a 265-139-1 record in 33 seasons at Appalachian State, Tulane, Texas and two stints with the Tar Heels. Brown won a national championship with the Longhorns in 2005.
▷ Former Auburn head coach Gene Chizik is UNC’s defensive coordinator. He was Brown’s DC at Texas when it won the national title and then won one of his own with QB Cam Newton for the Tigers in 2010.
Notre Dame two-deep depth chart
OFFENSE
WIDE RECEIVER
4 | Lorenzo Styles | 6-1, 195 | Soph.
16 | Deion Colzie | 6-5, 211 | Soph.
WIDE RECEIVER
83 | Jayden Thomas | 6-2, 215 | Soph.
29 | Matt Salerno | 6-1, 195 | Gr.
LEFT TACKLE
76 | Joe Alt | 6-8, 317 | Soph.
79 | Tosh Baker | 6-8, 310 | Jr.
LEFT GUARD
55 | Jarrett Patterson | 6-5, 310 | Gr.
73 | Andew Kristofic | 6-4, 300 | Sr.
CENTER
52 | Zeke Correll | 6-3, 308 | Sr.
78 | Pat Coogan | 6-5, 309 | Soph.
RIGHT GUARD
75 | Josh Lugg | 6-7, 316 | Gr.
73 | Andew Kristofic | 6-4, 300 | Sr.
RIGHT TACKLE
54 | Blake Fisher | 6-6, 327 | So.
68 | Michael Carmody | 6-6, 280 | Jr.
TIGHT END
87 | Michael Mayer | 6-5, 265 | Jr.
84 | Kevin Bauman | 6-5, 252 | Jr.
WIDE RECEIVER
0 | Braden Lenzy | 6-0, 182 | Gr.
5 | Joe Wilkins Jr. | 6-2, 202 | Gr.
QUARTERBACK
10 | Drew Pyne | 6-0, 198 | Jr.
18 | Steve Angeli | 6-2, 211 | Fr.
RUNNING BACK
25 | Chris Tyree | 5-10, 197 | Jr.
OR 3 | Logan Diggs | 6-0, 214 | Soph.
OR 7 | Audric Estime | 6-0, 229 | Soph.
DEFENSE
VYPER DEFENSIVE END
7 | Isaiah Foskey | 6-5, 265 | Sr.
9 | Justin Ademilola | 6-2, 253 | Gr.
OR 12 | Jordan Botelho | 6-3, 250 | Jr.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
57 | Jayson Ademilola | 6-3, 285 | Gr.
54 | Jacob Lacey | 6-2, 280 | Sr.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE
56 | Howard Cross III | 6-1, 310 | Gr.
97 | Gabriel Rubio | 6-5, 295 | Soph.
DEFENSIVE END
99 | Rylie Mills | 6-5, 292 | Jr.
31 | Nana Osafo-Mensah | 6-3, 250 | Sr.
WILL LINEBACKER
8 | Marist Liufau | 6-2, 235 | Sr.
24 | Jack Kiser | 6-2, 223 | Sr.
OR 10 | Prince Kollie | 6-3, 220 | Soph.
MIKE LINEBACKER
27 | JD Bertrand | 6-1, 230 | Sr.
OR 52 | Bo Bauer | 6-3, 233 | Gr.
44 | Junior Tuihalamaka | 6-2, 240 | Fr.
ROVER
24 | Jack Kiser | 6-2, 223 | Sr.
27 | JD Bertrand | 6-1, 230 | Sr.
CORNERBACK
5 | Cam Hart | 6-3, 198 | Sr.
OR 28 | TaRiq Bracy | 5-10, 185 | Gr.
21 | Jaden Mickey | 6-0, 176 | Fr.
SAFETY
2 | DJ Brown | 6-1, 200 | Gr.
OR 3 | Houston Griffith | 6-0, 205 | Gr.
SAFETY
16 | Brandon Joseph | 6-1, 196 | Sr.
OR 11 | Ramon Henderson | 6-1, 190 | Jr.
CORNERBACK
6 | Clarence Lewis | 6-0, 203 | Jr.
OR 5 | Cam Hart | 6-3, 198 | Sr.
OR 20 | Benjamin Morrison | 6-0, 179 | Fr.
SPECIAL TEAMS
KICKOFFS
92 | Zac Yoakam | 5-8, 180 | Fr.
14 | Bryce McFerson | 6-2, 190 | Fr.
PLACEKICKER
99 | Blake Grupe | 5-8, 156 | Gr.
92 | Zac Yoakam | 5-8, 180 | Fr.
PUNTER
39 | Jon Sot | 5-11, 198 | Gr.
14 | Bryce McFerson | 6-2, 190 | Fr.
LONG SNAPPER
65 | Michael Vinson | 6-2, 228 | Gr.
44 | Alex Peitsch | 6-1, 215 | Jr.
HOLDER
39 | Jon Sot | 5-11, 198 | Gr.
14 | Bryce McFerson | 6-2, 190 | Fr.
PUNT RETURNS
16 | Brandon Joseph | 6-1, 196 | Sr.
OR 29 | Matt Salerno | 6-1, 195
KICKOFF RETURNS
25 | Chris Tyree | 5-10, 190 | Soph.
4 | Lorenzo Styles | 6-1, 195 | Soph.
North Carolina two-deep depth chart
OFFENSE
LEFT TACKLE
72 | Asim Richards | 6-5, 315 | Sr.
78 | Trevyon Green | 6-8, 345 | Fr.
LEFT GUARD
63 | Ed Montilus | 6-3, 315 | Gr.
57 | Cayden Baker | 6-6, 315 | So.
CENTER
65 | Corey Gaynor | 6-3, 305 | Gr.
68 | Brian Anderson | 6-3, 300 | Gr.
RIGHT GUARD
76 | William Barnes | 6-4, 320 | Sr.
52 | Jonathan Adorno | 6-4, 305 | Jr.
RIGHT TACKLE
75 | Spencer Rolland | 6-6, 310 | Gr.
55 | Zach Rice | 6-5, 320 | Fr.
TIGHT END
88 | Kamari Morales | 6-3, 245 | Jr.
OR 81 | John Copenhaver | 6-3, 240 | So.
18 | Bryson Nesbit | 6-5, 230 | So.
QUARTERBACK
10 | Drake Maye | 6-5, 220 | Fr.
6 | Jacolby Criswell | 6-1, 225 | So.
RUNNING BACK
26 | D.J. Jones | 5-11, 205 | Jr.
28 | Omarion Hampton | 6-0, 220 | Fr.
OR 23 | George Pettaway | 5-11, 195 | Fr.
WIDE RECEIVER
5 | J.J. Jones | 6-2, 210 | So.
1 | Andre Greene Jr. | 6-3, 190 | Fr.
WIDE RECEIVER
11 | Josh Downs | 5-10, 175 | Jr.
8 | Kobe Paysour | 6-1, 185 | Fr.
WIDE RECEIVER
2 | Gavin Blackwell | 6-0, 180 | Fr.
83 | Justin Olson | 6-2, 200 | Jr.
DEFENSE
NOSE TACKLE
51 | Ray Vohasek | 6-3, 310 | Gr.
OR 98 | Kevin Hester Jr. | 6-5, 305 | Jr.
55 | Keeshawn Silver | 6-5, 315 | So.
OR 4 | Travis Shaw | 6-6, 355 | Fr.
3 TECH
8 | Myles Murphy | 6-4, 305 | Jr.
5 | Jahvaree Ritzie | 6-5, 290 | So.
POWER END
10 | Desmond Evans | 6-6, 265 | Jr.
25 | Kaimon Rucker | 6-2, 265 | Jr.
JACK
7 | Noah Taylor | 6-5, 240 | Gr.
OR 17 | Chris Collins | 6-4, 245 | Gr.
24 | Malaki Hamrick | 6-2, 215 | Fr.
MIKE LINEBACKER
23 | Power Echols | 6-0, 225 | So.
32 | Sebastian Cheeks | 6-3, 220 | Fr.
WILL LINEBACKER
33 | Cedric Gray | 6-2, 230 | Jr.
11 | RaRa Dillworth | 6-1, 200 | So.
CORNERBACK
1 | Tony Grimes | 6-0, 195 | Jr.
29 | Marcus Allen | 6-2, 175 | Fr.
BOUNDRY SAFETY
27 | Gio Biggers | 6-2, 200 | Sr.
2 | Don Chapman | 6-1, 195 | Sr.
FIELD SAFETY
9 | Cam'Ron Kelly | 6-2, 210 | Sr.
31 | Will Hardy | 6-2, 200 | Fr.
CORNERBACK
3 | Storm Duck | 6-1, 200 | Jr.
14 | Dontae Balfour | 6-1, 180 | So.
OR 6 | Lejond Cavazos | 6-1, 190 | So.
STAR
16 | DeAndre Boykins | 6-1, 195 | So.
13 | Obi Egbuna | 5-11, 190 | Sr.
SPECIAL TEAMS
PLACEKICKER
98 | Noah Burnette | 5-11, 175 | So.
95 | Jonathan Kim | 6-1, 215 | Sr.
KICKOFFS
95 | Jonathan Kim | 6-1, 215 | Sr.
PUNTER
91 | Ben Kiernan | 6-2, 215 | Sr.
92 | Cole Maynard | 6-1, 175 | So.
SHORT SNAPPER
62 | Spencer Triplett | 6-3, 235 | So.
61 | Drew Little | 6-0, 230 | Sr.
LONG SNAPPER
61 | Drew Little | 6-0, 230 | Sr.
62 | Spencer Triplett | 6-3, 235 | So.
HOLDER
92 | Cole Maynard | 6-1, 175 | So.
91 | Ben Kiernan | 6-2, 215 | Sr.
KICKOFF RETURN
28 | Omarion Hampton | 6-0, 220 | Fr.
4 | Caleb Hood | 6-0, 220 | So.
PUNT RETURN
11 | Josh Downs | 5-10, 175 | Jr.
9 | Cam'Ron Kelly | 6-2, 210 | Sr.