Notre Dame to face biggest test this season in Chapel Hill | MikeCC's Blog on Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football

The Tar Heels are waiting for the Irish and the team that travels from South Bend to North Carolina Saturday better be the one that beat Stanford last week. That Irish team also better play 4 quarters this time. Ranked 22nd in the AP Poll, North Carolina will be the biggest test the Irish face this year. Not because they are a better team than the Spartans, but because they show up at a point where the Irish can spark an already good season, based on the '07 standard. If they win in NC, the Irish will go 5-1, will win their first game on the road but more, so much more importantly, they will really believe that the improvement is compounding week to week. A loss at NC would not be the end of the world for the Irish. The Tar Heels is a ranked team, that could be 5-0 at this time in the season. They have 12 interceptions already this season no doubt will put a lot of pressure on Jimmy Clausen and his offensive line. On special teams, they have Brandon Tate, not a national treasure but close. This wide receiver also leads the ncaa career leader in punt returns and I look forward to his and Mike Anello's meeting. Now, against Connecticut, the Tar Heels blocked 3 punts and intercepted 3 times, one for a touchdown. Protecting the ball, not a secret, was probably not on the game plan for the Huskies last week. If you look at the Irish lately, they are doing well in that category and North Carolina might have to look to their offense to put points on the board. Running the ball and the field goal kicking will be determining if the Irish win or not. If they run the ball and somehow, Brandon Walker forgets that those kicks matters and put them through the upright, the Irish will win handily. Clausen won't be the problem, everyone knows he will show up, that Michael Floyd and Golden Tate will make the catches. Running the ball, and scoring with field goals when needed, will seal that game for the Irish. Failing to do so, it will be hotly contested and I will not call that game. All I can say is with a win, the Irish will break into the top 25, be staring at a 9 win season and have to deal with a whole new set of expectations.