For the first time in three weeks, Kenan Stadium plays host to a college football game. Today, the North Carolina Tar Heels welcome Notre Dame for a 12 p.m. kickoff.
UNC (2-1, 0-1 ACC), defined by its early-season defense, collapsed in the second half of a 28-20 loss at Clemson. This was North Carolina's best chance to beat the Tigers since 2019, when a failed 2-point attempt proved the different in a 1-point loss. The Tar Heels started hot offensively, then disappeared with just a field goal after halftime.
The Fighting Irish (4-0) look every bit of a National Championship contender early, thanks to their top-ranked defense, which allows under 200 yards and 10 points per game. Notre Dame's closest result came against Michigan State, a 27-10 win,
while victories over Wisconsin (41-13), Rice (52-0) and Purdue (49-10) proved its superior talent.
If you take away the 2025 season opener, UNC plays fairly well against stronger opponents at home. Even with rain in the forecast, fall weather finally found its way to Chapel Hill, which will have seats filled.
North Carolina needs to continue feeding its ground game, while Billy Edwards needs to maintain consistency in the pocket. The Tar Heels' defense will be tested, but it's already amongst the country's top units.
If you're in Chapel Hill to start October, you can find tickets on third-party sites for just north of $100. If you're watching this highly-anticipated matchup on TV, your favorite streaming device, listening on the radio or somewhere else, keep reading below for more broadcast information.
Stream UNC vs. Notre Dame
What channel is North Carolina vs. Notre Dame on Saturday? Time, TV schedule, radio
TV Channel: ESPN
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Radio: SiriusXM (Channels 85 (UNC broadcast) and 129 (Notre Dame broadcast))
Website: WatchESPN
Where to watch UNC-Notre Dame football on live stream
Stream UNC-Notre Dame football
UNC vs. Notre Dame prediction, picks, odds
UNC returns home after three weeks, facing the best defense in college football. North Carolina has the offensive tools to compete, headlined by its deep running back room. The Tar Heels have a good defense that will impact Saturday’s result, but their offensive line will need to give Billy Edwards time to get that side of the football going. The Fighting Irish are simply too good and win easy in Kenan Stadium, proving themselves as an early-season National Championship favorite.
Score prediction: Notre Dame 27, UNC 16
All College Football Odds via BetMGM
SPREAD: Notre Dame -21
MONEYLINE: North Carolina +1000, Notre Dame -1600
O/U TOTAL: 46.5
UNC Football 2026 schedule
August 29: vs. TCU in Dublin, Ireland (W, 15-10)
September 12: vs. ETSU (W, 35-3)
Sept. 19: at Clemson (L, 28-20)
October 3: vs. Notre Dame (12 p.m.)
Oct. 10: at Pitt (12 p.m.
Oct. 17: at Duke
Oct. 24: vs. Syracuse
Oct. 31: vs. Miami (FL)
November 7: at UConn (12 p.m.)
Nov. 14: vs. Louisville
Nov. 21: at Virginia
Nov. 28: vs. NC State
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: What channel is UNC's October 3 battle with Notre Dame on?
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