UNC's top wide receiver enjoys career day in loss to Notre Dame

For the third straight football game, your North Carolina Tar Heels scored 25 points. Despite playing third-ranked Notre Dame close throughout Saturday's clash inside Kenan Stadium, UNC faltered late in a 37-26 loss.

North Carolina (2-2, 0-1 ACC) tallied a first-drive touchdown when quarterback Billy Edwards connected with tight end Shamar Easter on a 6-yard, play-action roll out to the right. Despite two interceptions, Edwards also tossed two more touchdowns, while linking up with WR1 Jordan Shipp for a career day.

Shipp caught seven passes for a career-high 109 yards. After the game, Shipp detailed the reasoning behind his big game, but highlighted how it didn't matter because of the Tar Heels' loss.

"Just trusting the scheme and trusting my coaches, doing what everybody told me to do," Shipp said. "All that stuff, the coverages that we've seen in practice, same stuff they (Notre Dame) ran in the game. It's nothing that I did special today, it was just my day to make some more plays to help my team get closer. But like I said, none of that stuff matters. We lost the game."

This is exactly the leadership voice any team wants in its locker room. Shipp could have easily bragged on his career day, but he focused on team wins being more important than individual achievements.

Shipp returning for 2026 gave UNC a massive boost for its offense, which fans had high hopes for with new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino . If Shipp continues to produce like he did against the Fighting Irish (5-0), North Carolina will turn tough losses into clutch victories.

UNC Football: Photos from loss to Notre Dame