The Clemson game is the one Carolina fans will want to forget and the one to study before Saturday, October 3. The Tar Heels led that game the whole way until a weather delay. Then Clemson scored 2 touchdowns in the final 5:01 to take it. That's two separate problems: they were good enough to lead a good opponent for 55 minutes, and they couldn't close. Notre Dame beat Michigan State 27-10 on the strength of another big second half, so the late part of this game is where the gap should show.
This is also the second straight road trip for the Irish, who were at Purdue the week before. An early kickoff in Chapel Hill after back-to-back weeks away isn't a trap on paper, but it's the kind of spot where a big favorite can come out slow. If Carolina is going to hang around, it needs a fast start again and a defense that doesn't give way late this time.
The early forecast for Kenan calls for low 80s and light drizzle with barely any wind. It's 6 days out, so don't make plans around it, but it isn't a weather game as things stand. Notre Dame wants a clean road win that keeps its playoff résumé intact before the November tests against Miami and SMU. For North Carolina, it's a chance to show the team can play a full 60 minutes, whatever is going on in the building.