Shop around for this line ahead of kickoff as it has occasionally touched -4 in the hours leading up to kickoff. That's what I feel the spread should be for this game, a showdown of two vastly improved offenses looking to make waves over the final few games of the regular season. Notre Dame is the team under pressure in this game as it sits first place in the league and is a shoe-in for the playoff if it wins out. This game is going to be won up front. North Carolina's defense is not strong enough to slow down the Fighting Irish, and the physical advantages will play out in the second half as the Tar Heels will be unable to keep up. My ceiling for picking this game is -5. I love it at -4 or below for Notre Dame.

The Tar Heels have been a little overvalued in the spreads all year, but this is about the best spot we'll find in which to back them. Notre Dame. The Irish followed their upset of Clemson with a road win over gritty Boston College but have had two weeks off since and are going to have their hands full. Coach Mack Brown's clubs thrive in these spots and look for Sam Howell to lead the Tar Heels in a shootout.

North Carolina has been a fun team to watch this season because it can put up points in a hurry, and then its defense does a great job of giving them right back so the offense can get back on the field. And it's that defense that causes me to pause when considering the Heels in this spot. They should find some success against the Irish defense, but how many times can the UNC defense stop the Irish offense? Probably not often enough.

This line seems a bit disrespectful to me from a Notre Dame perspective. The Fighting Irish have passed multiple "tests" this season in regards to their win vs. Clemson and how they handled Boston College the week afterward in a potential trap game. We know North Carolina has an explosive offense, but the Heels have been inconsistent at times during this season. We also know their defense isn't as good as the offense.

I'm calling the upset here. Notre Dame's defense is tremendous, but Clemson showed that unit can be scored upon (so did Boston College to a lesser extent) -- and North Carolina's offense is spectacular behind quarterback Sam Howell, an early favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, and RBs Javonte Williams and Michael Carter, each of whom averages at least 7.0 yards per carry. Yes, the UNC defense is terrible, but that unit catches a break in that two Irish starting offensive linemen, right guard Tommy Kraemer and center Jarrett Patterson, are out.