5 Takeaways From Notre Dame’s Week 7 Win

Going into the UNC game, Notre Dame was the third toughest FBS team in the nation to score on (12.0 points per game). The surprisingly sloppy tackling by the Irish against UNC was not at all representative of how first-year defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder’s defense looked in the previous five games. The Irish schedule only gets tougher moving forward. Losses will mount if Notre Dame continues to tackle as they did against North Carolina.

The Seminoles typically have athletic advantages too numerous to count in most games. So any team that spots the FSU major penalty yards as well is likely in trouble, including the Irish. Notre Dame had 10 penalties for 76 yards against North Carolina after averaging only five penalties for 34 yards in the previous five games.

The Irish defense clearly did not have an answer for Tar Heel quarterback Marquis Williams on Saturday. Williams led the Tar Heels in rushing with 132 yards and one rushing TD along with 303 yards passing and two touchdown passes. Those numbers have to be alarming for Notre Dame given their matchup with Jameis Winston in Tallahassee next weekend.

Fuller caught two more touchdown passes on Saturday, moving his season total to seven. While Fuller is taller and lighter than Tate, his speed and obvious importance to the Irish offense is reminiscent of Tate’s record-breaking 2009 campaign. Fuller’s knack for finding the end zone makes the Irish single-season school record of 15 TD catches (shared by Tate) not seem that unreachable.

Irish quarterback Golson had no turnovers in his first three games this season, but he has turned the ball over nine times in the in the last three games (four interceptions and an inexplicable five fumbles). Golson can ill-afford to continue coughing up the ball if the Irish are going to keep their winning streak alive.