The North Carolina Tar Heels are in for a treat this weekend. On Saturday at 12 p.m., the UNC football team will host Notre Dame for one of Kenan Stadium's most-anticipated matchups in recent history.
North Carolina (2-1, 0-1 ACC) is playing decent football and should be undefeated right now, if not for a fourth-quarter collapse at Clemson. The Tar Heels' defense is their team strength, but their offense has a deep rotation of playmakers capable of causing trouble for any opponent.
The Fighting Irish (4-0) are a National Championship contender, anchored by their defense that ranks tops in college football. Notre Dame only allows 199.3 yards per game, best in the country, while opponents score just 8.3 points per game against its stout defense.
UNC's offense showed out against ETSU, scoring 35 points and moving the football at ease. That's expected when an FBS program plays an FCS opponent, but it also showed how good North Carolina's offense can be. The Tar Heels also managed 15 points against TCU's defense, which allows just 12.5 points per game, but just three second-half points at Clemson.
Averages give fans an idea about how strong teams are on both sides of the football, but UNC will need to play picture-perfect offense to have a shot at beating the Fighting Irish, who already forced nine turnovers through their first four games.
The saying "Any Given Sunday" applies to the NFL, but "Any Given Saturday" means North Carolina has a shot to stage another college football upset this weekend. Keep reading below for five offensive keys to a Tar Heels victory.
Billy Edwards has to play consistent football
It's tough to win football games when your quarterback completes less than 50 percent of his passes.
Edwards, the Wisconsin transfer who landed UNC's starting gig this fall, completed just 13-of-30 attempts in an 8-point loss at Clemson on September 19.
North Carolina likely leans heavier on its running game vs. Notre Dame, but Edwards has to be more consistent to give his team a shot to win.
Excel in play-action playcalls
If your team has a strong offensive line and solid pass-catchers, play-action is the best way to confuse an opposing defense.
The Tar Heels' offensive line is a question mark, allowing seven sacks through four games, but their pass-catchers are a proven bunch. Tight end Jelani Thurman and WR1 Jordan Shipp can make big plays, as can running back Benjamin Hall, who leads UNC with two receiving touchdowns.
If North Carolina wants to win and crack Notre Dame's brick wall of a defense, play-action is the way to go.
Build on Benjamin Hall's big game
Despite the Tar Heels abandoning their strong running game at Clemson, which generated over 200 yards until a questionable fourth-quarter play call, Hall totaled 145 yards (130 rushing) and scored a touchdown.
Facing fourth-and-one on their potential game-winning drive in Death Valley, instead of handing the football off to Hall, Demon June or Jaylen McGill, UNC dialed up a deep play-action pass to Jelani Thurman. Edwards' throw sailed well beyond his TE1 and, moments later, the Tigers won.
That carry was all Hall's to take with just a yard to gain. On Saturday against the Fighting Irish, North Carolina should feed its RB1 until he can't be stopped.
Keep the game within striking distance at halftime
Points will come at a premium for the Tar Heels on Saturday, while Notre Dame (42.3 PPG) has no issue finding the end zone.
UNC's defense will make plays, but its offense needs to counter. If North Carolina's offense can do enough to keep Saturday's clash within two touchdowns at halftime, coming back to win looks much easier.
Whoever is kicking...make your kicks
Aeron Burrell is a perfect 8-of-8 on extra points this season, but the Tar Heels' starting kicker is struggling on field goals, making just 4-of-7. Burrell missed all three of his attempts from 40+ yards, with a season-long of 33.
Rece Verhoff, a rare bright spot for UNC in 2025, recently earned eligibility and should play on Saturday. Verhoff made 19-of-23 attempts last fall, nailing a season-long of 57 yards at Wake Forest.
Burrell only attempted kickoffs before 2026, while Verhoff has experience under pressure. Whoever gets the starting nod this weekend, they need to make their kicks for North Carolina to have a shot at winning.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Offensive keys to a UNC football victory vs. Notre Dame
