North Carolina Puts Up Fight in Loss to No. 3 Notre Dame

The North Carolina Tar Heels dropped to 2-2 with a 37-26 loss to the No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

North Carolina struck first, as Billy Edwards Jr. found Shamar Easter for a six-yard touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. However, their lead didn't last long as CJ Carr found Jordan Faison for a 28-yard touchdown. Edwards threw an interception on the next drive, and the Fighting Irish capitalized, as Carr found Jaden Greathouse one play later for a 12-yard score.

Edwards threw an interception on the next Tar Heels drive, and Notre Dame went downfield and scored again when Carr found Faison for a 39-yard touchdown, taking a 21-7 lead. 

North Carolina cut into the lead right before the half, as Edwards led a 15-play, 97-yard drive that culminated in a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jelani Thurman.

The Tar Heels got the ball back in the second half, and Jaden Jefferson returned the kick for a 98-yard touchdown. That brought North Carolina within one, as the special teams unit botched the extra-point attempt.

The Fighting Irish drove down the field with a chance to take the lead, but the Tar Heels forced them into a 4th-and-goal from the three-yard line. Notre Dame lined up to go for it, but it didn't seem like they would snap it until North Carolina jumped offsides, giving the Fighting Irish a free play; Carr took advantage, rushing in for a three-yard touchdown.

After a punt from the Tar Heels, Notre Dame went down and scored again, as Carr completed a six-yard touchdown pass to Nolan James Jr.

North Carolina punted again on the next drive, and the Fighting Irish connected on a 31-yard field goal to take a 37-20 lead. Edwards found Thurman for his second score of the game late in the fourth quarter, cutting Notre Dame's lead to 37-26.

That's what the final score ended up being in the Tar Heels' second loss of the season. While it's disappointing that they've lost back-to-back games, they showed some positive signs in a matchup against one of the best teams in the country.

The Fighting Irish are expected to be in the College Football Playoff and compete for a National Championship this season, but North Carolina made it a competitive game.

Bill Belichick and the Tar Heels will look to take the positives from the game and build momentum ahead of a clash with the undefeated Pittsburgh Panthers next week.