On an electric night in Provo, LaVell Edwards Stadium hosted its first-ever top-10 matchup, and the No. 8 BYU Cougars delivered a signature masterpiece that reshaped the national college football landscape. In a riveting 28–24 upset of No. 2 Notre Dame, the Cougars snapped the Fighting Irish’s 16-game winning streak and earned their first victory over an AP top-two opponent since defeating No. 1 Miami in 1990. As thousands of jubilant fans cascaded onto the field, the victory resonated deeply for head coach Kalani Sitake. A former BYU fullback who has led his alma mater since 2016, Sitake was a high school student in the stands when Ty Detmer and the Cougars shocked Miami 36 years earlier. Overwhelmed with emotion in the postgame locker room, Sitake reflected on his journey from lifelong fan to architect of one of the program’s most historic triumphs, orchestrating an aggressive game plan that proved BYU belongs on college football’s premier stage.
From the opening whistle, BYU set an authoritative tone along the line of scrimmage, controlling tempo and imposing physical dominance. On the game’s opening possession, Notre Dame star edge rusher Boubacar Traore was ejected for targeting following a helmet-to-helmet hit on quarterback Bear Bachmeier, opening running lanes and pocket comfort for the Cougars. Bachmeier capped the opening drive with a five-yard touchdown run up the middle. After Notre Dame answered with an eight-yard touchdown run by Nolan James Jr. to claim a 10–7 lead, BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick dialed up deception. Wide receiver Kyler Kasper caught a lateral and hurled a 15-yard touchdown pass back to Bachmeier on a screen play. Bachmeier later extended the advantage with a one-yard touchdown plunge, celebrated as offensive lineman Sonny Makasini hoisted the quarterback high into the air, building a commanding 21–10 halftime cushion.
The defining turning point of the first half unfolded in the dying seconds before intermission, demonstrating the sharp instincts and discipline that define Sitake’s squad. With Notre Dame threatening at the BYU five-yard line and five seconds remaining, Irish quarterback CJ Carr attempted to spike the ball to halt the clock. Carr mishandled the snap, and defensive playmaker Isaiah Glasker pounced on the loose football. Sitake aggressively challenged the initial call on the field, insisting Carr had lost control before the spike attempt. Following a video review, officials confirmed the fumble and awarded possession to BYU, erasing a potential red-zone score to preserve the Cougars’ two-score lead going into the locker room.
The second half tested BYU’s composure as Notre Dame mounted a fierce fourth-quarter comeback. Special teams miscues—including a muffed punt return by Cannon DeVries and a failed fake punt deep in Cougar territory—gifted Notre Dame prime field position. BYU’s defense bent but held the Irish to a pair of field goals before running back Jonaz Walton plowed into the end zone on a three-yard touchdown run and added a two-point conversion to put Notre Dame ahead 24–21 with 9:31 left. When an interception by Notre Dame’s Jayden Sanders stymied BYU’s subsequent drive at the Irish 15-yard line with 8:05 remaining, the Cougars faced their sternest adversity of the season.
Unfazed by the momentum shift, BYU’s defense delivered a swift three-and-out, handing the ball back to Bachmeier for a clutch drive. Marching 55 yards in 10 plays, Bachmeier showcased precision passing and decision-making, converting critical downs against an elite defense. On third-and-goal from the six-yard line with 1:47 remaining, Bachmeier fired a pass to tight end Walker Lyons in the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown, pushing BYU back in front 28–24. The score marked Bachmeier’s fourth total touchdown of the night, completing a rare stat line of two rushing touchdowns, one receiving touchdown, and one passing touchdown against an AP Top 25 opponent.
With 107 seconds left, Notre Dame launched a final drive, driving deep into BYU territory. Carr converted a fourth-and-five pass to Micah Gilbert to reach the BYU nine-yard line with four seconds remaining. On the final play of the game, BYU’s defense stood tall in the end zone, contesting Carr’s pass to Jaden Greathouse to force an incomplete pass as time expired to seal the victory. The goal-line stand capped an emotional evening anchored by key defensive leaders like safety Raider Damuni and linebacker Cade Uluave. Damuni emphasized that the team entered the game determined to eliminate doubts about winning marquee matchups, while Uluave noted that beating the No. 2 team proves the Cougars are no fluke.
This historic triumph improves BYU to 6–0 on the season and 29–4 since the start of 2024, representing the second-highest winning percentage in college football over that span. Behind the power running of Preston Rex—who provided 66 vital yards filling in for LJ Martin—and flawless red-zone execution (4-for-4 on touchdown conversions), BYU showed national observers that its program is a bona fide playoff contender. By outlasting a perennial blue-blood on national television, Sitake’s Cougars demonstrated that their physical brand of football can dominate top-tier competition, solidifying BYU as a household name across college football.
