The NCAAF show goes on with Week 3 on Saturday, September 24, with this inter-conference clash in Chapel Hill, NC, and here you get the best Fighting Irish vs. Tar Heels betting pick and odds.

North Carolina is looking to maintain a perfect start to the season when it hosts Notre Dame at Kenan Stadium. The Tar Heels are slight -1.5 favorites on BookMaker Sportsbook, while the total is set at 56 points. These inter-conference rivals have faced once in 2021, and the Fighting Irish won that game 44-34 in Indiana.

Fighting Irish recorded their first win of the season

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish entered a new college football season with two losses, but they managed to beat the California Golden Bears at home. They perhaps didn’t deserve this win as the visitors weren’t a worse side, but the Irish still prevailed with a 24-17 victory.

Drew Pyne completed 17 of 23 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Chris Tyree, who led the team with 44 receiving yards on five receptions, caught one of Pyne’s TD passes, while Audric Estime was solid on the ground with 76 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown. Notre Dame registered even six sacks in this one, and DL Jacob Lacey led the bench with two, while Jayson Ademilola and Isaiah Foskey had 1.5 apiece.

QB Tyler Buchner sustained a high-grade AC joint sprain in his shoulder and will miss the remainder of the season after having surgery to repair the issue.

Tar Heels keep marching on

The North Carolina Tar Heels are only one of two ACC Coastal teams without a loss yet, and after defeating FAMU and Appalachian State, they beat the Georgia State Panthers on the road. They did fail to cover a -7 spread in a 35-28 victory, but what’s important for the Tar Heels, they managed to get W despite committing three turnovers opposite Georgia State’s zero.

North Carolina didn’t allow points in the final 15 minutes and scored a touchdown to secure a win after leading 21-10 at halftime. Drake Maye completed 19 of 24 passes for 284 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Kobe Paysour (73 yards on five receptions) and Kamari Morales (71 yards on three receptions) connected with Maye in the endzone, while the Tar Heels scored three rushing touchdowns. Omarion Hampton led all the runners with 110 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Cedric Gray and Power Echols combined for 24 tackles.

WR Josh Downs sat out the last two games with a lower-body injury, and it is up in the air if he will line up for Saturday’s tilt versus Notre Dame. RB Caleb Hood sat out the last game with a lower-body injury, and it is undetermined if he will face Notre Dame on Saturday.

Trends:

Notre Dame:

N/A

North Carolina:

  • 11-5 ATS in the last 16 games after accumulating more than 280 yards passing in their previous game
  • 4-1 ATS in the last five games in September

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. North Carolina Tar Heels Pick  

After losing starting QB Tyler Buchner to a season-ending injury, I doubt the Fighting Irish can compete with North Carolina’s high-octane offense that averages 51.3 ppg (7th in the country). Given that Notre Dame is scoring just 18.3 ppg, I am going with the home side that is among the top 20 in college football in both passing yards (310.0) and rushing yards (237.3). Drake Maye already has 930 passing yards with 11 touchdowns and just one interception, and I am backing him to have another strong showing on Saturday.

Pick: Take the Tar Heels at -1.5 (-110)

The Total

The only thing that could save the Irish in this one is their defense which allows 21.3 points per game. Still, it will be hard to limit the Tar Heels in North Carolina, even though Notre Dame didn’t allow more than 21 points to the opponents in three games this season. North Carolina’s high-flying offense will have a say in this one, and that’s why I am going with Over. Over is 4-1 in the Tar Heels’ last five games overall, while Over is 6-2 in North Carolina’s previous eight non-conference games.

Pick: Go Over 56 points (-110)