Kyren Williams, Notre Dame outlast Sam Howell, North Carolina in Irish win
Maybe the light show is a useful tool for the home team after all.
Like they did a week prior against USC, the lights at Notre Dame Stadium purposely went out between the third and fourth quarters. Shirtless students held their phones up in the air with flashlight mode activated. Other fans around the stadium joined them — in holding up their phones, not taking off their shirts — as the stadium lights started to flicker and music boomed from stadium speakers.
Notre Dame led North Carolina by four points entering the final frame, and the Irish player who feeds off electricity (or the literal lack thereof when the lights go out) the most flashed some of his own shortly after play resumed.
Junior running back Kyren Williams took a rushing play that was supposed to go between the tackles to the right 91 yards down the left sideline for the touchdown Notre Dame needed to gather enough separation in eventually beating the Tar Heels 44-34.
No. 11 Notre Dame (7-1) led for most of the night. The Irish trailed North Carolina (4-4) for less than a minute in the third quarter. Both offenses had their way, but that of the Irish was a step ahead all night.
Williams ran 22 times for a career-high 199 yards. Graduate senior Jack Coan went 16 of 24 for 213 yards and a touchdown while adding a 21-yard score on the ground. Notre Dame gained a season high 523 yards.
North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell did his best to outduel the Irish, but his 24 of 31 passing night for 341 yards and a touchdown and 18 rushing attempts for 91 yards and another score were not enough for the Tar Heels to spring an upset. North Carolina still gained 554 yards of offense. The Irish were outgained for the sixth time in eight games this season.
Notre Dame improved to 20-2 all-time against North Carolina. The Irish stay home to face Navy (2-6) next week before a big road test against Virginia (6-2) on Nov. 13.
First Quarter
Notre Dame 7, North Carolina 0 — 3:25
• Scoring play: Seven-yard pass from Tyler Buchner to Avery Davis
• Scoring drive: Seven plays, 41 yards, 3:19
Second Quarter
Notre Dame 7, North Carolina 7 — 14:55
• Scoring play: Ty Chandler three-yard run
• Scoring drive: Eight plays, 81 yards, 3:23
Notre Dame 10, North Carolina 7 — 10:01
• Scoring play: Jonathan Doerer 31-yard field goal
• Scoring drive: 13 plays, 75 yards, 4:54
Notre Dame 10, North Carolina 10 — 3:22
• Scoring play: Grayson Atkins 38-yard field goal
• Scoring drive: 13 plays, 62 yards, 6:34
Notre Dame 17, North Carolina 10 — 1:23
• Scoring play: 21-yard pass from Jack Coan to Kevin Austin Jr.
• Scoring drive: Six plays, 75 yards, 1:59
Notre Dame 17, North Carolina 13 — 0:02
• Scoring play: Grayson Atkins 26-yard field goal
• Scoring drive: Seven plays, 51 yards, 1:13
Third Quarter
North Carolina 20, Notre Dame 17 — 13:21
• Scoring play: Ty Chandler 53-yard rush
• Scoring drive: Five plays, 79 yards, 1:33
Notre Dame 24, North Carolina 20 — 12:23
• Scoring play: Jack Coan 21-yard rush
• Scoring drive: Three plays, 75 yards, 0:58
Notre Dame 31, North Carolina 20 — 4:56
• Scoring play: Logan Diggs one-yard rush
• Scoring drive: 11 plays, 81 yards, 5:24
Notre Dame 31, North Carolina 27 — 2:48
• Scoring play: 33-yard pass from Sam Howell to Antione Green
• Scoring drive: Six plays, 75 yards, 2:08
Fourth Quarter
Notre Dame 38, North Carolina 27 — 14:27
• Scoring play: 91-yard rush from Kyren Williams
• Scoring drive: One play, 91 yards, 0:17
Notre Dame 41, North Carolina 27 — 11:52
• Scoring play: 20-yard field goal from Jonathan Doerer
• Scoring drive: Five plays, 13 yards, 2:28
Notre Dame 41, North Carolina 34 — 7:23
• Scoring play: Sam Howell 31-yard rush
• Scoring drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 4:29
Notre Dame 44, North Carolina 34 — 1:37
• Scoring play: Jonathan Doerer 20-yard field goal
• Scoring drive: 13 plays, 72 yards, 5:46
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