The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are heavy favorites against Bill Belichick and the North Carolina Tar Heels this weekend, but the Irish offense cannot afford to come out sluggish.

Notre Dame has a noon ET Saturday matchup in Chapel Hill against a UNC squad most fans have penciled in as a blowout victory. While the Irish should win this game comfortably, the Tar Heels defense presents a bigger challenge than most people are letting on.

This is not a look-past game for Notre Dame’s offensive line, and the pass rush North Carolina brings to the table deserves a deeper conversation.

UNC’s defense is not a pushover

North Carolina’s defense is averaging just over 13 points allowed per game heading into this contest. The rush defense has been solid, allowing only 3.4 yards per carry.

The pass defense, however, is where things get particularly interesting for the Irish. The Tar Heels are allowing 189 yards per game through the air on 21 completions per game, which translates to roughly nine yards per completion and around six yards per attempt.

Those are strong numbers for any defense, and a big reason for that efficiency is the pass rush.

Notre Dame offensive line coach Joe Rudolph has a quietly important game on his hands. Most people saw what Belichick’s squad looked like in 2025 during his first year, when it was a disaster. Not enough people are watching the 2-1 team that looks very much improved in 2026.

Melkart Abu-Jaboud’s expected return is a big deal

I reported on Wednesday morning at www.atozsports.com that defensive end Melkart Abou-Jaoude is expected to return for this game. Abou-Jaoude, a former Delaware transfer, posted 10.5 sacks and 12 tackles for loss in 2025 during his first season at UNC. He has been dealing with a wrist injury that sidelined him the last two games after the opener against TCU.

Go back and watch the opening victory over the TCU Horned Frogs. Abou-Jaoude, No. 9, recorded a sack and a tackle for loss in that game. He is a 6-5, 260-pound base end who is physical enough to work inside in obvious passing situations, strong in the run game, and relentless as a pass rusher.

Notre Dame tackles Guerby Lambert and Will Black need to be locked in against this young man. If you allow Abou-Jaoude to wreck a game, he can wreck it. TCU left tackle Brandon Taylor-Whitfield, a potential top-100 pick in the 2027 NFL Draft, had his hands full with him.

Xavier Lewis has been UNC’s best pass rusher this season

The Tar Heels’ most productive defender so far this season is actually defensive tackle Xavier Lewis, who has recorded 8.5 tackles for loss and six sacks through three games.

Lewis is listed at about 6-0, 260 pounds and is a former walk-on. Think of him as North Carolina’s version of a Howard Cross-type player. He does not look the part and probably is not a big-time NFL Draft prospect, but he plays with tremendous leverage and a really good first step.

Notre Dame guards Sullivan Absher and Anthonie Knapp, along with center Ashton Craig, need to be ready. If they are not prepared, Lewis will generate pressure. CJ Carr is a good enough athlete to evade pressure at times, but he is a quarterback who wants to play in structure with clean vision.

If a player like Lewis, No. 90, gets into Carr’s face and crowds his vision, it is going to be a difficult day.

Jaylen Harvey adds another dimension

The third pass rusher to watch is Jaylen Harvey, a younger player Notre Dame actually recruited a couple of years ago. Harvey has two sacks and three tackles for loss so far.

At 6-2, 245 pounds, he brings a different body type than Abu-Jaboud or Lewis. Harvey has speed around the outside track, giving the Tar Heels a little bit of everything up front: longer, more physical base ends, an undersized three-technique in Lewis, and an undersized speed rusher in Harvey.

Protecting CJ Carr is the key to this game

The only way North Carolina shortens this game and has a chance in the end is by harassing Carr and the passing offense.

If Notre Dame’s offense stalls early and finds itself in third-and-13 situations because it could not get anything going on first or second down, that is exactly how the Tar Heels stay in it. Carr gets the ball out of his hands early, so keeping defenders out of his face will allow Jordan Faison, Micah Gilbert, and the rest of the Notre Dame passing weapons to make big plays.

North Carolina is not a great team. This game should not be close in the end. But if Notre Dame lets the Tar Heels hang around at home and get the Chapel Hill crowd involved, it will be because the Irish offense was not ready to play. Protect CJ Carr at all costs.

That is the formula for turning this into the comfortable victory everyone expects.