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SOUTH BEND, Ind. — The No. 11 Notre Dame football team (7-1) had its best rushing performance of the season as they defeated North Carolina, 44-34 Saturday night at Notre Dame Stadium. The Irish tallied 293 rushing yards as a team, the most since they had 353 against Florida State last season.

Running back Kyren Williams had a career day with 199 rushing yards, the most by an Irish player since Dexter Williams had 202 rushing yards against Florida State in 2018. He busted loose for a career-long 91-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter, the longest rush by an Irish player since Chris Tyree had a 94-yard rush last season against Syracuse.

The Irish struck first in the contest, scoring on their second drive of the game. Kyren Williams gave Notre Dame a short field with a 47-yard punt return to the UNC 41-yard line. The Irish turned the field position into points, going 41 yards in seven plays for the touchdown, capped off by a seven-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Buchner to Avery Davis to make it 7-0.

The Tar Heels responded with a touchdown drive of their own to level the score at 7-7 early in the second quarter. The drive went 81 yards over eight plays.

On the ensuing drive the Irish marched down the field to the Tar Heel 13 yard line but the drive stalled, resulting in a Jonathan Doerer 31-yard field goal to make it 10-7.

North Carolina once again answered, this time with a 38-yard field goal to knot the game back up at 10-10 with 3:22 left in the half.

The see-saw battle continued on the next Irish drive, as Notre Dame hit multiple chunk plays, connecting with Mayer early in the drive for 30 yards. Three plays later Kevin Austin Jr. pulled down an impressive 21-yard touchdown catch from Coan to put the Irish back on top 17-10.

UNC managed to drive down the field and converted on a 26-yard field goal with just two seconds left in the half to trim the Notre Dame lead to 17-13 heading into the halftime break.

The Tar Heel offense picked up where they left off to start the second half, scoring a touchdown on their opening drive of the third quarter to take their first lead of the night at 20-17. UNC’s Ty Chandler broke a 53-yard run for the score.

Notre Dame instantly responded with one of its most explosive drives of the season, totaling 75 yards in just three plays to retake the lead at 24-20 with 12:23 left in the quarter. Williams started the drive with a 14-yard run followed by a 40-yard pass to Lorenzo Styles. On the very next play Coan called his own number and scampered 21 yards for the touchdown.

The Notre Dame defense then forced a three-and-out, allowing the offense to go back to work. The Irish methodically drove down the field, putting together an 11-play, 81-yard drive that resulted in a one-yard touchdown dive from Logan Diggs, his first career touchdown, to give Notre Dame its largest lead of the night at 31-20.

The Tar Heels refused to go away, once again answering with a touchdown to make it a one-possession game at 31-27. Sam Howell found a wide open Antoine Green for the 33-yard strike.

The two sides traded punts and the Irish were backed up on its own nine-yard line. Williams took a handoff and looked to be stuffed for a three-yard loss but he was able to bounce it outside and sprinted 91-yards down the sideline for a touchdown that electrified Notre Dame Stadium and pushed the lead back to 11 at 38-27 in the first minute of the fourth quarter.

On the very next play from scrimmage Notre Dame’s D.J. Brown picked off Howell to give the Irish the ball on the UNC 15-yard line. The Irish managed to turn the turnover into three points off a 20-yard field goal from Doerer to push the lead to 41-27.

The Tar Heels got it back to a one-score game with 7:23 left in the game but the Irish put the game out of reach on the very next drive. They went 73 yards over 13 plays and ended with a 21-yard field goal by Doerer to clinch the win.

The Irish wrap up a three-game homestand at Notre Dame Stadium with a matchup against Navy at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 6. The game will be broadcast on NBC.

—ND—

📊 Poll of the Game

🏈 FOURTH QUARTER

“PLAY OF THE YEAR FOR THE IRISH!” –@miketirico @Kyrenwilliams23 takes it 91 yards to the HOUSE! 🏠

📺: NBC and @peacockTV pic.twitter.com/8bOP78p1Ey

— Notre Dame on NBC (@NDonNBC) October 31, 2021

AND THE PICK TOO??@DeeJayyy___ | #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/bACaa4vyVF

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 31, 2021

Wow what a run. ND score.

— Joe Theismann (@Theismann7) October 31, 2021

KYREN WILLIAMS ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?@Kyrenwilliams23 | #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/e1YHuMVcoR

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 31, 2021

🏈 THIRD QUARTER

Jack Coan shows off the wheels! 💨@NDFootball back on top 24-20.

Watch the second half NOW on NBC and @peacockTV. pic.twitter.com/jOSU10n3JZ

— Notre Dame on NBC (@NDonNBC) October 31, 2021

Here we go! 2️⃣1️⃣-yard TD run for @jcoan17 👏👏#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/FemknOTfmZ

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 31, 2021

🏈 SECOND QUARTER

let’s goooooo@Ka_szn | #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/SNGZ2O5huv

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 31, 2021

+3️⃣@JDoerer_11 | #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/DfD8rcZ4lB

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 31, 2021

🏈 FIRST QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN IRISH ‼️@realaverydavis | #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/4h5vhiarbW

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 31, 2021

🏈 PRE-GAME

time to work #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/z92IYLS300

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 30, 2021

Tonight. Let’s do it again, Irish family! ☘️#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/bMZWva0qLm

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 30, 2021

It’s getting scary out here. #GoIrish pic.twitter.com/PsVNCU3Nz8

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 29, 2021

It’s 𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗗𝗔𝗬!

🆚 North Carolina
⏰ 7:30 p.m. ET
📺 @NDonNBC
#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/yeea2Xf5R8

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 30, 2021