No. 8 BYU secured a historic 28-24 victory over No. 2 Notre Dame on Saturday night at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. The win marks the highest-ranked opponent the Cougars have defeated since 1990.
Quarterback Bear Bachmeier led the offense with 224 passing yards on 23 of 36 attempts and 45 rushing yards. Bachmeier became the first FBS player in 30 years to record a rushing, passing, and receiving touchdown against an AP Top-5 team in a single game. His receiving touchdown occurred on a double pass to Kyler Kasper in the second quarter, and his final touchdown was a pass to tight end Walker Lyons in the fourth quarter to reclaim the lead.
The BYU defense was essential to the win, highlighted by linebacker Cade Uluave, who recorded nine tackles. Safety Raider Damuni contributed seven tackles in his first game since the season opener against Utah Tech. The secondary held Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr to a 55% completion rate and prevented any passing touchdowns.
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake expressed satisfaction with the win, noting that his players embraced the spotlight of the primetime matchup. Sitake credited the team for their performance despite mistakes, including a failed fake punt attempt. He also noted the game was tight, with both teams showing similar yardage statistics in rushing and passing.
The game featured high-profile coverage from ESPN's College GameDay and ABC. In the first quarter, Notre Dame's Boubacar Traore was ejected following a targeting penalty on Bachmeier. The Cougars entered halftime with a 21-10 lead after Bachmeier scored on a touchdown run.
The Cougars will travel to Orlando, Fla., to face the UCF Knights at the Acrisure Bounce House. Time and broadcast details for that matchup are expected to be announced on Monday.
