GAME RECAP: No. 10 BYU Holds Off No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 in Provo in a Thriller

PROVO, Utah — LaVell Edwards Stadium spent Saturday night in blue and white and still could not keep the Irish from coming all the way back — until the final minutes.

No. 10 BYU walked out of Provo with a 28-24 win over No. 2 Notre Dame, a home result built on two Bear Bachmeier rushing touchdowns, a late scoring throw, and a defense that forced the Irish to settle for field goals when the game was still live. The Cougars improve to 6-0. Notre Dame falls to 6-1. It is the first top-10 matchup of the night and the first time BYU has beaten a ranked Notre Dame team at home in this series window.

BYU opened the way a Kalani Sitake team is supposed to open a College GameDay Saturday. Eleven plays, 75 yards. Bachmeier finished it from five yards out at 9:21 of the first. Matthias Dunn converted. Notre Dame 0, BYU 7.

Notre Dame answered the only way Marcus Freeman’s offense was going to answer early — with the leg. Spencer Porath drilled a 46-yard field goal at 5:06. 3-7.

The Irish took the lead in the second. Twelve plays, 84 yards. Nolan James Jr. finished it from eight yards out at 10:37. Porath made it 10-7. Notre Dame had the lead and the building had quieted.

BYU took it back. Kyler Kasper found Bachmeier for 15 yards at 5:52. Dunn converted. 10-14. Bachmeier then punched it in from one yard out at 1:29. 10-21. The Cougars had the half and the cushion.

Porath answered twice in the third, from 31 and 39 yards, to make it 16-21. Notre Dame had closed the gap without a touchdown.

The fourth quarter belonged to the Irish for a stretch. Nine plays, 68 yards. Jonaz Walton finished it from three yards out at 9:31 and ran in the two-point conversion. 24-21. Notre Dame had the lead with under ten minutes left.

BYU answered the only way it was going to answer late — with Bachmeier’s arm. He found Walker Lyons from six yards out at 1:47. Dunn made it 24-28. That was the score that held. Notre Dame’s final drive stalled inside the red zone.

The box score is the part that will travel on Sunday. BYU finished with roughly 360 total yards (239 pass, 121 rush). Notre Dame managed 309 (194 pass, 115 rush). Bachmeier went 23-of-36 for 224 yards, a touchdown and an interception while adding two rushing scores. Walker Lyons caught five balls for 49 yards and the game-winner. Preston Rex added 10 carries for 66 yards. CJ Carr finished 20-of-34 for 194 yards. Nolan James Jr. carried 16 times for 77 yards and a score. Jonaz Walton added five carries for 17 yards and the other touchdown. Jaden Greathouse led the receivers with six catches for 94 yards. Spencer Porath was perfect on three field goals.

LaVell Edwards is supposed to be the place where ranked teams come to get tested. Saturday it was the place where Bachmeier accounted for three scores, the Cougars answered every Notre Dame punch, and BYU stayed perfect.

Player of the Game: Bear Bachmeier. Twenty-three completions for 224 yards, two rushing touchdowns, one passing touchdown, and the dual-threat performance that carried BYU past No. 2 Notre Dame.