No. 2 Notre Dame takes its unbeaten record on the road Saturday to face No. 8 BYU in a matchup of top-10 programs that have never before met in Provo with both ranked this high. The Fighting Irish (6-0) and the Cougars (5-0) kick off in prime time at LaVell Edwards Stadium, with Notre Dame chasing a feat it hasn’t managed since 2012: beating a top-10 opponent away from home.
Notre Dame last won a true road game against a top-10 team when it knocked off No. 8 Oklahoma in Norman. The Irish lead the all-time series with BYU 7-2 and have won the last four meetings, but none of those games carried the stakes this one does. This is the 10th matchup between the two programs and the first time both have shown up ranked in the top 10 for a game in Provo.
For background on Notre Dame’s most recent tune-up, see the Irish’s win over North Carolina two weeks ago.
Notre Dame Vs Byu Game Information
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 17
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
- Venue: LaVell Edwards Stadium, Provo, Utah
- TV: ABC
- Series: Notre Dame leads 7-2, has won last four meetings
By The Numbers
- Points per game: Notre Dame 44.0, BYU 34.6
- Total yards per game: Notre Dame 456.7, BYU 433.4
- Passing yards per game: Notre Dame 261.8, BYU 209.6
- Rushing yards per game: Notre Dame 194.8, BYU 223.8
- Third-down conversion rate: Notre Dame 44.62% (29-65), BYU 54.39% (31-57)
- Total takeaways: Notre Dame 9, BYU 3
- Total giveaways: Notre Dame 1, BYU 3
- Turnover differential: Notre Dame plus-8, BYU even
- Defensive sacks: Notre Dame 15, BYU 11
Notre Dame Outlook
Notre Dame has won every game this season by double digits, capped by a 58-7 rout of Stanford last week. The Irish carry a plus-8 turnover margin into Provo, built on nine takeaways against a single giveaway all year, and quarterback CJ Carr has thrown just one interception on 144 attempts while piling up 1,378 yards and 16 touchdowns.
The Irish defense ranks first nationally overall and third against the run, allowing just 58.3 yards per game on the ground, according to Deseret News. Notre Dame also ranks fourth in points per drive and sixth in defensive success rate, per Sports Illustrated.
Notre Dame’s one soft spot is third-down defense, ranking 91st nationally in conversions allowed, a number BYU’s 54.39% third-down offense could test. Cornerback Leonard Moore is questionable after missing last week’s game with a concussion, and defensive tackle Jason Onye is questionable with an ankle injury. Linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, who had been dealing with a thumb injury, is no longer on the injury report and is expected back.
BYU Outlook
BYU has not allowed more than 23 points in any game and has held its last two opponents to 10 points apiece. Strip out garbage-time scoring and the Cougars are giving up just 8.8 points per game in competitive situations, according to Deseret News.
Quarterback Bear Bachmeier has passed for 1,033 yards and eight touchdowns against one interception, and he’s also rushed for 239 yards and four scores on 36 carries, averaging 6.6 yards per attempt. Freshman receiver Legend Glasker has emerged as a weapon, posting three catches of 60-plus yards this season, a mark matched by only one other Power 4 player.
BYU will be without leading rusher LJ Martin, who is expected to miss Saturday’s game with a lower-leg injury suffered Oct. 3 against TCU. Martin’s 344 rushing yards lead the team, and his absence leaves a void in a run game that still averages 223.8 yards per game as a unit.
Key Matchup
BYU’s third-down offense against Notre Dame’s third-down defense looms as the clearest swing factor. The Cougars convert 54.39% of their third downs, 35th nationally, while the Irish rank 91st in stopping those same situations. Notre Dame’s defense has been elite at avoiding sustained drives overall, ranking second nationally in scoring-position drives allowed, but if BYU extends possessions on third down it can neutralize that advantage.
On the other side, BYU’s pass defense has faced only one offense more efficient through the air than Notre Dame’s, according to Sports Illustrated, which notes that Purdue was the lone tougher test. Take away a shaky outing against TCU and BYU would rank third nationally in passing success rate allowed. That sets up Carr and a Notre Dame passing attack averaging 9.4 yards per attempt against a Cougars secondary that has already logged 21 pass breakups and six interceptions this season.
Players To Watch
CJ Carr, Notre Dame Quarterback
Carr has thrown 16 touchdowns against a single interception this season and adds a rushing element with three scores on the ground. Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman called BYU’s defense a tough test, saying, “Defensively, they really play hard. They do a good job of stopping the run. It’s going to be about our preparation and how we prepare.”
Bear Bachmeier, BYU Quarterback
Bachmeier’s dual-threat production, 1,033 passing yards and eight touchdowns through the air plus 239 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, has powered BYU’s 5-0 start. Freeman described him as a central challenge, saying, “On offense, it all starts with the quarterback. He’s a special player. He can hurt you in the run and the pass.”
Legend Glasker, BYU Wide Receiver
The freshman has already produced three catches of 60-plus yards, a rare big-play total for a first-year Power 4 receiver, giving Bachmeier a downfield outlet against Notre Dame’s defense, which ranks 96th in explosive-play rate allowed.
What To Watch
ESPN’s “College GameDay” will broadcast from Provo for the first time since 2009, underscoring the national attention on this meeting of unbeaten top-10 teams. BYU has lost every previous game that featured the show as a backdrop, dropping contests to Utah, TCU, Coastal Carolina and Texas Tech in those appearances.
For Notre Dame, the game represents a chance to prove it can win on the road against elite competition, something it hasn’t done since 2012. BYU coach Kalani Sitake said his team is treating the moment with added focus despite a business-as-usual approach. “We know they’re ranked really high.
We know that they’re very talented,” Sitake said. “So the sense of urgency actually ramps up a little bit more.”
For more on Notre Dame’s season arc, including last week’s performance against Stanford, see the Stanford vs. Notre Dame preview and the North Carolina matchup coverage from earlier this month.
More College Football news from Total Apex Sports.
Don't stop here
Every Score. Every Story. One Home.
Breaking sports, entertainment and news from across the Total Apex network, updated all day.
Get the Full Story →
