10/31/2021 football Edit

What they’re saying about Notre Dame’s 44-34 defeat of North Carolina

Greg Ladky • InsideNDSports

Managing Editor

The No. 11 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-1) beat North Carolina 44-34 Saturday night in South Bend, Indiana.

With the win over North Carolina (4-4, 3-3 ACC), Notre Dame has won 22 straight regular season games against ACC opponents. In addition, the Irish have won 38 straight games against unranked opponents, the longest streak in the nation.

From light shows to stiff arms, coaches, players, and reporters had plenty to say about the Notre Dame victory.

Greg Ladky and Tim Hyde, BlueandGold.com: Notre Dame post game show following the North Carolina game

Patrick Engel, BlueandGold.com: Kyren Williams sets his stage for the stretch run with career-defining game

Williams, though, is setting himself apart. Winning games down the stretch and in the postseason often requires a team’s best player to take over a game or make a play when pressure reaches its zenith. Williams, it seems, will be counted on in these spots as much as — if not more than — anyone else. Now with consistent blocking in front of him, his game can reach another height. And he can take Notre Dame along for the ride.

He doesn’t need to be asked to assume such additional weight. He voluntarily has a heavy plate as stands. What’s a little more on it?

READ ENGEL’S ENTIRE COLUMN HERE

Tyler Horka, BlueandGold.com: How Kyren Williams’ ‘unbelievable’ TD run led Notre Dame to win over UNC

The first contact with a North Carolina defensive lineman came at his own five-yard line. Notre Dame junior running back Kyren Williams was 95 yards away from the goal line.

Heck, he was four yards behind the line of scrimmage. Most running backs in college football would have been pleased with just getting back to where it started. But Williams isn’t like most running backs in college football.

The play was busted. Broken. Not going anywhere.

READ HORKA’S ENTIRE COLUMN HERE

C.L. Brown, Raleigh News & Observer: Mark Brown reacts to UNC’s loss: “We’re not good enough not to make all the plays.”

If there is such a thing as the best loss of the year, the Tar Heels just experienced it. Carolina’s overall performance in losses to Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and Florida State were characterized as disappointments. That couldn’t be said about Saturday’s loss, although the Heels’ execution on specific plays could be called into question.

Dylan Sinn, The Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Ind.): Notre Dame survives against North Carolina: Who ordered some offense?

Tonight, the No. 11 Irish really demonstrated what that offense is capable of, rolling up a season-high 523 total yards in a 44-34 win over North Carolina. Coan was 16 for 24 for 213 yards and a touchdown and could have had close to 300 yards if not for a handful of conspicuous drops. It was an offensive onslaught it would have been difficult to imagine after Coan was benched for the second straight game against the Hokies on Oct. 9.

READ DYLAN SINN’S FULL ARTICLE HERE

Douglas Farmer, NBC Sports: Notre Dame, Kyren Williams stiff arm North Carolina upset attempt, 44-34

Kyren Williams should have been tackled in Notre Dame’s backfield. The Irish should have been pinned deep in their own territory with North Carolina relishing the momentum in a close game. The result should have been hanging in the balance.

Williams had other ideas. His footwork did not let him be taken down so easily in the backfield. His stiff arm sent Tar Heels linebacker Tomon Fox to the ground with such ferocity it would have fit in a Halloween horror movie. And his speed gave linebacker Jeremiah Gemmel a great view of North Carolina’s hopes slipping away, 91 yards at a time.

READ DOUGLAS FARMER’S FULL STORY HERE