Well, I hope you enjoyed your second bye week of the season, because they are over now and on the other side is a home matchup with the number three team in the country: the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Here are three keys to the game.
Will Billy Edwards Jr. bounce back?
The last time we saw Edwards he was throwing an interception to end the game against Clemson. In that game, Edwards finished with a paltry (and season low) 135 yards while only completing 43.3% of his passing attempts. While he did throw a touchdown to Benjamin Hall,
he was also sacked three times. Belichick said the team was sticking with Edwards as their quarterback, so it will be up to Edwards to show that the faith the coaching staff has in him is still earned.
Will Xavier Lewis be able to get past the Irish O-Line?
Lewis has been one of the few bright spots this season, averaging two sacks a game for the Tar Heels defensive line. Notre Dame will probably present the toughest test for the young player and go a long way in determining if Lewis is a future pro (and a potential portal steal for someone else) or just another good player who has taken advantage of what has been some inferior competition so far this season.
Will Rece Verhoff make a difference?
Assuming the NCAA doesn’t get its stay before Saturday, Verhoff will be making his season debut for the Tar Heels against the Irish. Considering how the North Carolina field goal kicking has looked, the fifth year player’s presence should give the team some hope that it doesn’t have to get inside the 20 to get three points this week. Whether or not an extra field goal makes a difference will probably come down to whether or not the defense and offense kept the game close enough to matter.
Even if UNC hadn’t blown the game against Clemson, this was always going to be a tall order for the team. Their best hope is a low scoring affair in which they have a chance to take advantage of a turnover and maybe pull a monumental upset.
