Brady Quinn passed for four touchdowns and a season-high 346 yards to help eleventh-ranked Notre Dame overcome breakdowns on defense and special teams and beat North Carolina, 45-to-26.
It appeared for a while the Fighting Irish would put the game away early, leading 24-to-7. But the Irish gave up a 90-yard kickoff return by Brandon Tate and a 72-yard touchdown catch by Hakeem Nicks as the Tar Heels kept it respectable.
Notre Dame improves to 8-and-1 for the first time since 2002, when the Irish won their first eight games under Tyrone Willingham. It marks the first time the Irish have won at least eight games in back-to-back seasons since 1996.
The Tar Heels are 1-and-8. They are 1-and-16 all-time against the Irish and lost their second straight since coach John Bunting announced he was leaving at the end of the season.
