Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said Monday that he is excited about taking the second-ranked Fighting Irish on the road to face No. 8 BYU. The matchup is scheduled for Saturday and represents one of two top-10 matchups occurring this weekend.
The game will take place in Provo, Utah, where the Irish have previously played twice, winning in 1993 and losing in 2004. This visit is considered a significant challenge for BYU, which currently holds a 5-0 record. Meanwhile, the 6-0 Notre Dame team seeks to extend a 16-game winning streak during the contest.
Freeman noted that playing on the road provides a unique challenge where the team must compete against the best in their own environment. He stated that the experience of playing in a loud and wild atmosphere is exactly why the team chooses to play at Notre Dame. To prepare for the altitude in Provo, Freeman has been researching best practices for playing and recovering at high elevations, potentially seeking advice from cornerback DJ McKinney, who previously played at Colorado.
This matchup features two teams with championship aspirations under the new 12-team College Football Playoff format. Notre Dame, currently in its fifth full season under Freeman, is looking to prove it can win its first national championship since 1988. The teams last met in 2022 in Las Vegas, when Notre Dame won 28-20.
The Saturday game in Provo is expected to be a high-stakes environment, as the Irish face what Freeman described as potentially their toughest opponent to date.
