BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier revealed that personal motivation regarding his recruiting experience helped drive the Cougars to a historic 28-24 upset victory against No. 2-ranked Notre Dame on Saturday night. The win, which occurred on Saturday night, represents the largest victory in the history of the BYU program.
Following the game, Bachmeier told reporters that he felt disrespected by the Notre Dame program during his recruitment out of high school. He stated that he was determined not to lose to the Fighting Irish during the matchup.
Bachmeier's performance during the game included completing 23 of 36 passes for 224 yards and one touchdown. He also contributed 45 yards and two rushing touchdowns. His decisive play came late in the fourth quarter when he threw a six-yard touchdown pass to tight end Walker Lyons with 1:47 remaining, giving the Cougars the lead.
The quarterback's motivation is linked to his 2025 recruiting cycle, when he visited South Bend and nearly committed to Marcus Freeman and the Fighting Irish. During that visit, the Notre Dame staff was reportedly focused on five-star recruit Deuce Knight. After Knight eventually committed to Auburn under head coach Hugh Freeze, Bachmeier committed to BYU.
Since Bachmeier joined the program, BYU has achieved a 12-2 record and a Pop-Tarts Bowl win. Following the upset of Notre Dame, the Cougars have reached a No. 2 ranking in the latest AP Poll, which is the program's highest ranking since 1984.
The victory comes as BYU continues to establish itself on the college football landscape following the win over the Fighting Irish.
