CHAPEL HILL, NC — Three quick thoughts and other comments and anecdotes after Saturday’s game between Notre Dame and North Carolina, won by Notre Dame, 45-32, in a rapidly deflating Kenan Stadium.
∎ Talk about a reversal of roles. North Carolina (3-1) was one of the country’s most feared offensive outfits to come in, one that had put down video game-esque numbers during the first three games. The Irish Crime? Couldn’t get out of the way for the first three weeks, or persisted in saving his student life.
Then what happens on Saturday? We weren’t even in the fourth quarter and Notre Dame (2-2) had already racked up nearly 500 yards of offense (494) and 38 points. Make that a season-high 38 points.
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For the second game in a row, Irish starting quarterback Drew Pyne looked anything but good to start, sat down quietly and just split. He found recipients. He made plays. Everything that called Offensive Coordinator Tommy Rees clicked. In the second half there was more booing from the home crowd than big action from what should have been a big game.
This one ended early. Very early. Like, before it got dark early. It was fun to watch.
∎ Saturday was the Michael Mayer we thought we would see every game this season. We saw the junior tight finish early and often, catching passes, making plays and basically being unstoppable where he wanted to go. The rest of the attack seemed to follow suit, picking up his swagger early in the second quarter.
I hope everyone has been keeping a close eye on Mayer. I can’t take the things he did for granted. His seven catches for 88 yards in the third quarter helped set a specific tone – stop this. Carolina couldn’t. Even when they did – Mayer caught a possible touchdown pass in the end zone, but stepped outside the boundaries as he did. It was still a bull’s eye.
∎ Given the way the Irish defense started, this had the makings of a real… looooonnng day after North Carolina went 76 yards in 12 plays, and made it ridiculously easy for an early 7-0 lead.
Give credit to coordinator Al Golden and his men, who grabbed the L on the opening stage and immediately flipped the script. The next three Carolina drives came in 11 yards on 11 plays. Getting those stops gave the Irish offense more time to find its rhythm, to the point where the Irish scored 24 unanswered to run away and hide.
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By the numbers
1: Saturday marked the first time under coach Marcus Freeman that Notre Dame won the toss. Linebacker JD Bertrand, who sat out the first half after the targeting call against Cal, shouted tails. They were tails. The Irish postponed their choice to the second half.
2: Number of Irish excluded from Saturday’s game who would play at least earlier in the week. Tight end Kevin Bauman missed the game with a knee problem, while safety Ramon Henderson was out with an ankle injury.
3: Number of Irish to score in the first half — Lorenzo Styles, Mayer, Audric Estime.
6: Consecutive drives that ended in points for Notre Dame – five touchdowns, one field goal.
12: Consecutive road games against ACC schools now won by Notre Dame since last defeat – November 1, 2017 in Miami, 41-8. Yes, it still stings the Irish.
24: The highest points total scored by Notre Dame in any of its first three games – and the number of points the Irish scored in Saturday’s first half.
25: Consecutive matches against ACC schools won by Notre Dame since its last defeat in 2017.
29: Estime went wild on the longest Irish run of the year on Notre Dame’s fourth drive, which ended with a Styles touchdown. Chris Tyree then added a 19-yard run on the next Irish drive, followed by 17 from Logan Diggs and suddenly the Irish run play was buzzing.
40: Scoring Irish kicker Blake Grupe from 40 yards late in the first half gave Notre Dame a 24-14 lead at halftime. He bounced back after previously missing from 44.
Worth nothing
Saturday was Notre Dame’s only trip to the Triangle for the 2022 football season. The itinerary – charter flight from South Bend International Airport to Raleigh-Durham, one of the country’s most convenient airports, will double next season when Notre Dame’s other two Triangle schools in Duke and North Carolina State. Both play dates have yet to be determined.
Tobacco Road will be frequented this season by the Irish men’s basketball team, which has road trips to each of the four North Carolina schools participating in Atlantic Coast Conference action – Duke, North Carolina, North Carolina State and Wake Forest, a few hours west on Interstate 40.
Next one
One-third of the regular season — four weeks — has already ended and it’s time for a break for Notre Dame, who enters an open date before heading back out in a few weeks to play Brigham Young in Las Vegas, part from the Irish “Shamrock series.” It’s a little early in the year to take such a short break, but the Irish get a break. It’s one week off, then eight consecutive weeks to close out the 2022 season.
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