BYU Stuns Notre Dame as Bachmeier Leads 28-24 Victory

BYU strengthened its national championship credentials with a 28-24 victory over No. 2 Notre Dame at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah, on October 17, 2026. The No. 8 Cougars secured the upset through Bear Bachmeier's versatile offensive performance and Walker Lyons' late touchdown, earning one of the program's most significant wins in recent history.

According to BYU's official athletics report, Bachmeier completed 23 of 36 passes for 224 yards and one touchdown while rushing for two scores and catching another touchdown pass. He became the first Football Bowl Subdivision player in 30 years to record a rushing touchdown, passing touchdown and receiving touchdown against an Associated Press top-five opponent in the same game.

Lyons caught five passes for 49 yards, including the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter. BYU's defense also limited Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr to a 55% completion rate without allowing a passing touchdown, according to the university's game report.

The victory elevated BYU to No. 2 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll released Sunday, October 18, according to the Deseret News. Notre Dame had entered the matchup ranked No. 2, making the result a landmark achievement for a Cougars program that had faced doubts about its ability to compete with the nation's elite teams.

BYU head coach Kalani Sitake credited both teams for their performances while acknowledging that his own decisions had contributed to the game's difficult moments.

"Really happy with the win. What a great game," said Kalani Sitake, BYU's head coach. "I have to give a lot of credit to Notre Dame for taking this game and being out here in Provo.

The spotlight was on this game and on our guys, and I thought our guys embraced the opportunity. We made some mistakes, but that was probably more on me than anything else. I probably got a little too risky and aggressive, but we'll be alright.

I can learn from some lessons and be better. The fake punt was on me. I thought we had a good call there, but Notre Dame had a better one.

If you look at the stats, they're very similar on both sides with the run yardage and the pass yards, so it was a tight game. Even on that last drive, I need to give Notre Dame a lot of credit. Those guys made plays when they needed to, and it just seems like we could have got off the game on certain fourth downs, but it went down to the final one.

I'm glad it worked out in our favor. Notre Dame is a great team, and they got the most out of us."

The win came despite significant challenges for BYU's running game. The Cougars were without leading running back LJ Martin and also played without Sione Moa, according to the Deseret News. BYU finished with 121 rushing yards, surpassing the previous season high of 77 yards allowed by Notre Dame.

Running back Preston Rex, who recorded a career-high 66 yards on 10 carries, said BYU intended to defend its home field against any opponent.

"I think if you come to our house, we're gonna defend it. We can play with anyone in the nation, and the job's not finished," said Preston Rex, BYU's running back.

Quarterback Bear Bachmeier also highlighted the team's response to outside skepticism after the victory.

"Yeah man, we were tired of being disrespected," said Bear Bachmeier, BYU's quarterback. "We know who we are, and man, this was a great win for sure."

Linebacker Cade Uluave, who led BYU with nine tackles, including a tackle for loss, said the result could change how the team is viewed nationally.

"A lot of people weren't respecting us," said Cade Uluave, BYU's linebacker. "A lot of people thought we were a fluke or didn't think we were all that. Now we went out and beat the No. 2 team in the country, so hopefully people will put some respect on our name."

The Cougars' decisive scoring drive followed a difficult stretch in the second half. Notre Dame erased much of BYU's halftime advantage and took a 24-21 lead on Jonaz Walton's 3-yard touchdown run with 9:31 remaining, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

After BYU's defense forced a three-and-out, Bachmeier moved the offense downfield with passing and running plays. A false-start penalty pushed the Cougars back to the 6-yard line on third down, but Bachmeier completed a pass to Lyons for the go-ahead score with less than two minutes remaining.

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman praised Bachmeier's competitiveness and ability to perform under pressure.

"He's a competitive football player," said Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame's head coach. "He's smart. He's tough. You can hit him, but you won't break him."

Freeman also emphasized Bachmeier's effectiveness across different offensive situations.

"He does well on the run and in the passing game," said Freeman. "And in crucial moments, the ball will be in his hands."

Notre Dame had a final opportunity to respond, but BYU's defense stopped the Fighting Irish on the game's last play. The ending nevertheless drew scrutiny over possible officiating errors, including a potential defensive pass interference penalty and whether one second remained on the clock. The Big 12 acknowledged that the final play should have been reviewed to determine whether time remained, according to the Deseret News.

Freeman declined to blame the officials for Notre Dame's defeat and instead stressed the need for better execution.

"We own it. And we've got to be better, and we've got to execute no matter what the situation is," said Freeman.

BYU's victory also extended its strong recent run under Sitake. The Deseret News reported that the Cougars had compiled a 29-4 record over the previous three seasons, the second-best winning percentage in college football during that span behind Indiana.

The Cougars' next challenge is a road game against UCF in Orlando, Florida, scheduled for Saturday, October 24, at 1:30 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time, according to the Deseret News. BYU will then prepare for a matchup against Arizona State.