No. 8 BYU defeated No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 in Provo, Utah, on Saturday night to secure a riveting victory. Bear Bachmeier led a go-ahead touchdown drive with 1:47 remaining before the BYU defense stopped the Irish at the goal line to preserve the win.
Bachmeier played a pivotal role in the win, throwing a go-ahead touchdown pass to Walker Lyons on a 6-yard grab with 1:47 left in the game. He also ran for two touchdowns, caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Kyler Kasper, and finished with 224 passing yards. Preston Rex contributed 66 yards on 10 carries to help BYU maintain a 6-0 record for the third consecutive season.
Notre Dame's CJ Carr completed several clutch passes during a late drive, including a fourth-down pass to Micah Gilbert that reached the BYU 9-yard line with four seconds remaining. However, the final pass fell incomplete in the end zone, ending the Irish's 16-game winning streak. Carr finished with 261 passing yards, while Nolan James Jr. recorded 77 yards and a rushing touchdown.
The game featured significant momentum shifts. Notre Dame cut an 11-point halftime deficit to five points before the fourth quarter after scoring field goals following a muffed punt return and a failed fake punt by the Cougars. Jonaz Walton scored a 3-yard touchdown run to give Notre Dame a lead with 9:31 remaining.
BYU's offense had previously faced setbacks, including a pick penalty on Kyler Kasper that negated a 39-yard touchdown catch by JoJo Phillips and back-to-back special teams errors. Additionally, Notre Dame lost possession in the final seconds of the first half when Carr fumbled while attempting to spike the ball, allowing Isaiah Glasker to recover the fumble near the BYU 5-yard line.
The result was part of a significant day in college football, as five of the top eight teams in the AP Top 25 lost on the same regular-season day. Along with No. 1 Georgia's 27-24 loss to Auburn, it marked the first time the top two teams in the country lost on the same day during a regular season since Nov. 17, 2012.
BYU is scheduled to play at UCF on Oct. 24. Notre Dame is scheduled to play at Navy on Oct. 31.
