This Time, Raucous Atmosphere Will Welcome Notre Dame's Visit

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CHAPEL HILL – The last time Notre Dame brought its fabled program to Kenan Stadium for a football game, a mere 3,535 people witnessed it in person.

Attendance policies related to the effects of COVID-19 impacted the entire 2020 season everywhere, including at North Carolina. A mandated 15-percent maximum of Kenan’s capacity limited the crowd, so Tar Heels fans weren’t treated the spectacle that occurs any time the Fighting Irish play at home or away.

That will change Saturday, when the Golden Domers return to Chapel Hill, and this time a full house and 3-0 Carolina team awaits.

“Our fans didn’t get to see the real Notre Dame play at our place,” UNC Coach Mack Brown said after practice Wednesday. “So, that should add to the excitement and atmosphere on Saturday for sure…

“They have a tremendous following across the country because they have a national program. I would expect this to be the best crowd, as far as atmosphere and environment, since I have been back.”

The Tar Heels are coming off an open date after winning two close road games, including 63-61 at Appalachian State on September 3. The Irish are just 1-2 but are coming off a 24-17 home victory over California. Notre Dame lost at Ohio State in a competitive game to open the season before being stunned at home by Marshall in week two.

Make no mistake, however, that Notre Dame’s record hasn’t dulled the buzz on campus this week.

“We definitely hear, ‘Is Notre Dame good, are you guys gonna win,’” senior safety Gio Biggers said earlier in the week. “You hear that a lot. I was talking with one of my classmates who asked me about it. It’s definitely more of a buzz.”

Football junkie and sophomore linebacker Power Echols says, “it’s a big game, but it's a big game because it's the next game,” but this is more than that.

Not only is it a measuring stick game for the Tar Heels as a team and program, something that has been well documented this week, but brands like Notre Dame don’t venture into town very often. Its brand is historic, even mythical, and oh-so unique, so this is simply different.

“Any time a traditional program like Notre Dame comes to town, it’s going to create some noise,” UNC redshirt freshman quarterback Drake Maye said. “And we’re excited having them home again. Hopefully (we’ll) get some revenge. They’re a good team, and we’ve got to come ready to play.”

Revenge would mean getting back at the Irish for what took place the day after Thanksgiving 22 months ago, a game UNC trailed by just a touchdown before Notre Dame sealed the deal crossing the goal line with 1:20 remaining.

And then last year in South Bend, the Irish booted a field goal with 1:47 remaining to seal that game in a 44-34 victory.

That is on the Tar Heels’ minds to a point. Graduate defensive lineman Ray Vohasek, who is from the Chicago area on the Illinois side, says this is a new team and a new season, so whatever happened before doesn’t matter too much. Senior offensive lineman William Barnes is taking the same mental approach.

“Every game is a big game because we want to win every game,” he said, but he also recognizes this week is slightly different. “We go out to the practice field and we think about Notre Dame, but we don’t talk about Notre Dame all the time.”

Yet, with that being said, even Vohasek isn’t escaping the stage on which all Notre Dame games are played. And this time, it’s pretty cool he and the Tar Heels are on tap for the third consecutive year.

“It’s a historic program,” he said. “They’ve got movies, ‘Rudy,’ who didn’t watch that? So, I’m a big fan, always was. It’s exciting to get to play them for the third year in a row… ABC game. This is what you wish for growing up as a kid. This is a big game for me.”

And it’s a big game for all of the Tar Heels as well as their fans. This time they actually get to see the famed Irish in person, unlike two years ago.