No. 8 BYU Hosts Notre Dame on Oct. 17 at LaVell Edwards Stadium

Q: Did No. 8 BYU pull off a historic upset against No. 2 Notre Dame without their star running back yesterday?

Yes. No. 8 BYU did beat No. 2 Notre Dame on Saturday night, winning 28-24 in Provo, and it qualified as a major upset given Notre Dame entered undefeated and was roughly a 10.5- to 12.5-point favorite. BYU did it without star running back LJ Martin, who was out with a lower-body injury expected to sideline him 4-6 weeks. In Martin’s absence, quarterback Bear Bachmeier carried the offense. He threw the go-ahead 6-yard touchdown pass to Walker Lyons with 1:47 left, ran for two touchdowns, and even caught a touchdown on a trick play. He finished with 224 passing yards and was the clear difference-maker. The win was historic in several ways. It was BYU’s first victory over Notre Dame since 2004, came in the first top-10 game ever played at LaVell Edwards Stadium, and kept the Cougars unbeaten at 6-0. It also ended Notre Dame’s 16-game winning streak. The game turned dramatic late. Notre Dame rallied from a halftime deficit and took a 24-21 lead in the fourth quarter, but BYU answered with the decisive late drive. The Cougars then stopped the Irish on the final possession, with CJ Carr’s last pass falling incomplete near the goal line as time expired. So the short answer is yes: BYU pulled off a statement, historically significant upset without its top running back, and Bachmeier’s all-around performance was central to it.

Q: With major playoff implications on the line, did Notre Dame's elite defense silence the roaring crowd at LaVell Edwards Stadium?

No. Notre Dame’s defense was strong at times, especially after halftime, but it did not silence LaVell Edwards Stadium or carry the Irish to the win. BYU beat No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 in one of the biggest games ever played in Provo, preserving its unbeaten season and playoff hopes in front of a sold-out, highly charged crowd that had been energized all day by ESPN’s College GameDay. The Cougars led 21-10 at halftime, and Bear Bachmeier repeatedly broke through Notre Dame’s defense with two rushing touchdowns, a touchdown catch and the game-winning touchdown pass with 1:47 left. The Irish defense did tighten in the second half, holding BYU to just seven points after the break and forcing a key interception by Jayden Sanders. Notre Dame also benefited from BYU special-teams mistakes and briefly took a 24-21 lead with 9:31 remaining. But the defense could not finish the job when Bachmeier led a 10-play, 55-yard go-ahead drive late. The bigger issue for Notre Dame was offensive execution in key moments. The Irish reached the red zone repeatedly but failed to maximize those trips, including Carr’s costly fumble while trying to spike the ball just before halftime. Even on the final possession, after driving to the BYU 9, Notre Dame came away empty when Carr’s last pass fell incomplete. So while Notre Dame’s defense showed why it is considered elite, the lasting image was not a silenced stadium. It was BYU’s crowd celebrating a signature 28-24 upset and a major playoff statement.

3 articles · Updated · BYUCougars.com · Oct 12

No. 8 BYU will face Notre Dame on Saturday, Oct. 17, at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo.
A 5:30 p.m. MT kickoff is set, with ABC scheduled to televise the game live.
BYU said details on ESPN College GameDay and other week-of plans will be announced later.
The school plans to update fans through the week with broadcast information, news, fan events and game notes ahead of kickoff.