Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://read.uberflip.com/i/1547006
22 OCT. 10, 2026 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED ing a touchdown … Notre Dame rushed 15 times for 75 yards in the first half. Items: Notre Dame could not convert on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line. Faison exceeded 2,000 all-purpose yards for his career. THIRD QUARTER NOTRE DAME 27, NORTH CAROLINA 20 Top Moment: On fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line, Carr went off script and scrambled into the end zone. That touchdown provided the Irish with much-needed breathing room, a 27-20 lead with 5:36 left in the quarter. It also answered a 98-yard North Carolina kickoff return touchdown from the first play of the half. Feature Performers: The Irish went with Walton again, and he got them to the 3-yard line on their first offensive series. On the 17-play, 75-yard drive, he rushed 12 times for 61 yards. Stats: North Carolina ran only three plays and had -3 yards, while Notre Dame had 137 yards on 24 plays … The Irish were 0 of 3 on third down. Items: Including the fourth-and- goal play, Notre Dame went for it on fourth down three times and converted every time. FOURTH QUARTER NOTRE DAME 37, NORTH CAROLINA 26 Top Moment: On the first play of the quarter, sophomore running back Nolan James Jr. caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Carr to give Notre Dame a two-score lead (34-20). Feature Performers: With the help of a dominant effort from the Irish of- fensive line, Walton and junior running back Aneyas Williams combined for 44 yards on 10 carries. Stats: North Carolina had 6 more yards (100-94) on one fewer play (17- 16) than Notre Dame … The Tar Heels converted on a fourth down, while the Irish did not. Items: Junior cornerback Leonard Moore got shaken up on North Caro- lina's touchdown after a collision with tight end Jelani Thurman. Senior safety Luke Talich blocked North Carolina's extra-point attempt. Junior kicker Spencer Porath nailed a 31-yard field goal. ✦ Sophomore running back Nolan James Jr. had 65 of Notre Dame's 241 rushing yards and also scored on a 6-yard touchdown reception. PHOTO BY LARRY BLANKENSHIP ND UNC FIRST QUARTER UNC Easter 6-yard pass from Edwards (Verhoff kick) 9:34 0 7 Drive: 7 plays, 74 yards, 3:20 ND Faison 28-yard pass from Carr (Porath kick) 6:41 7 7 Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:53 ND Greathouse 12-yard pass from Carr (Porath kick) 6:26 14 7 Drive: 1 play, 12 yards, 0:05 SECOND QUARTER ND Faison 39-yard pass from Carr (Porath kick) 14:53 21 7 Drive: 9 plays, 77 yards, 3:55 UNC Thurman 14-yard pass from Edwards (Verhoff kick) 0:21 21 14 Drive: 15 plays, 97 yards, 7:13 THIRD QUARTER UNC Jefferson 98-yard kickoff return (Kick failed) 14:46 21 20 ND Carr 3-yard run (Kick failed) 5:36 27 20 Drive: 17 plays, 75 yards, 9:10 FOURTH QUARTER ND James 6-yard pass from Carr (Porath kick) 14:54 34 20 Drive: 8 plays, 68 yards, 4:14 ND Porath 31-yard field goal 7:05 37 20 Drive: 11 plays, 52 yards, 6:15 UNC Thurman 10-yard pass from Edwards (Kick blocked) 2:36 37 26 Drive: 11 plays, 75 yards, 4:29 ND UNC Total First Downs 26 18 Rushing 11 4 Passing 15 13 Penalty 0 1 Rushing Attempts 45 23 Yards Gained Rushing 245 86 Yards Lost Rushing 4 9 Net Yards Rushing 241 77 Net Yards Passing 234 208 Passes Attempted 29 28 Passes Completed 21 17 Had Intercepted 0 2 Percent Completion 72.4% 60.7% Yards Per Attempt 8.1 7.4 Yards Per Completion 11.1 12.2 Total Offensive Plays 74 51 Total Net Yards 475 285 Average Gain Per Play 6.4 5.6 Fumbles: No.-Lost 1-0 0-0 Penalties: No.-Yards 4-32 3-20 Punts: No.-Yards 1-34 3-134 Average Per Punt 34.0 44.7 Average Net Punt 34.0 38.0 Punt Returns: No.-Yards 2-20 0-0 Kickoff Returns: No.-Yards 1-28 1-98 Interception Returns: No.-Yards 2-14 0-0 Fumble Returns: No.-Yards 0-0 0-0 Miscellaneous Yards 0 0 Possession Time 37:04 22:56 Third-Down Conversions 4-11 5-10 Percentage 36.4% 50.0% Fourth-Down Conversions 3-5 1-1 Percentage 60.0% 100.0% Sacks By: No.-Yards 1-7 0-0 NOTRE DAME 37, NORTH CAROLINA 26 Oct. 3, 2026 ✦ Attendance: 50,500 Kenan Stadium ✦ Chapel Hill, N.C. 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Tot Notre Dame 14 7 6 10 37 North Carolina 7 7 6 6 26