The No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish travel to Provo, Utah, to face the No. 8 BYU Cougars in the first top-10 matchup ever hosted at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 17, 2026. Fans can tune in via FOX, which will broadcast the nationally televised contest. For digital viewers, the game will be available for live streaming through the FOX Sports app and website, requiring a valid cable or satellite provider login. This high-stakes collision features two undefeated teams, with Notre Dame holding a 6-0 record and BYU sitting at 5-0.
Key Match Highlights & Tactical Analysis
Notre Dame enters the game as a 12.5-point favorite, with a total of 49.5 points and a moneyline of -521. The Fighting Irish are coming off a dominant 58-7 victory over Stanford, where they led 37-0 at halftime. Freshman running back Jonaz Walton was a revelation, rushing for 181 yards and two touchdowns on just 13 carries, including a 97-yard score. Quarterback CJ Carr complemented the ground game, completing 14 of 20 passes for 181 yards and three touchdowns. Carr’s season stats reflect elite efficiency, averaging 9.6 yards per attempt on 144 tries, with 16 touchdown passes and only one interception.
BYU, however, remains a dangerous opponent despite missing key pieces. The Cougars defeated Iowa State 24-10 in Week 6, powered by quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who threw for a season-high 329 yards and two touchdowns while adding 109 rushing yards on nine carries. Bachmeier’s performance was notable given the absence of running back LJ Martin, who is out for four to six weeks with a lower-body injury. With BYU’s moneyline at +390, the underdog status highlights the Cougars’ resilience. Fans should note that Notre Dame’s passing attack has been particularly potent recently, including a 237-yard outing at Purdue in September, setting the stage for a high-scoring affair in Utah.
Source: FOX Sports
