No. 8 Cougars Hold on to Win All-Timer over No. 2 Irish 28-24

PROVO, Utah — No. 8 BYU defeated No. 2 Notre Dame Saturday night at LaVell Edwards Stadium, 28-24, in what will go down as one of the greatest wins in program history.

The No. 2 Fighting Irish are the highest-ranked opponent BYU has defeated since knocking off No. 1 Miami in 1990.

Saturday’s matchup, which started with ESPN’s College GameDay and ended with ABC primetime coverage, featured a battle that came down to the final play and a defensive stop that sealed the Cougars’ victory.

“Really happy with the win. What a great game," said Kalani Sitake, BYU 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.”

Quarterback Bear Bachmeier led BYU’s offense through the air and on the ground. The sophomore threw for 224 yards, completing 23 passes on 36 attempts. He threw for one touchdown, which came in the fourth quarter, delivered to tight end Walker Lyons to reclaim the lead late in the ballgame. Bachmeier rushed for two touchdowns and secured a receiving touchdown on a double pass. He is the first FBS player in the past 30 years with a rushing touchdown, passing touchdown and receiving touchdown against an AP Top-5 team in the same game. He is the first Cougar to do those three things in any BYU game since Steve Young in the 1983 Holiday Bowl.

In the backfield, running back Preston Rex rushed for 66 yards, accompanied by Bachmeier’s 45 yards on the ground.

Through the air, Kyler Kasper and Legend Glasker led the Cougars’ receiving corps in yards, both totaling 66 yards apiece. Lyons also contributed to BYU’s success through the air, catching five passes for 49 yards and the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth.

BYU’s defense played a crucial role in Saturday’s historic win, with linebacker Cade Uluave leading the team in tackles with nine. Safety Raider Damuni totaled seven tackles in his first game back since the season opener against Utah Tech. The secondary held Irish quarterback CJ Carr to just a 55% completion percentage and gave up no passing touchdowns.

First Quarter

With Notre Dame winning the coin toss, the Cougars began the primetime matchup on offense. Bachmeier opened the possession with a run up the middle, which was stuffed for no gain. Bachmeier delivered two first-down passes on the next plays, finding Lyons and receiver Jojo Phillips for double-digit gains. As the drive continued, Bachmeier was hit hard on a roughing-the-passer penalty with targeting, and Notre Dame defensive lineman Boubacar Traore was ejected from the game.

Bachmeier again found Lyons for 18 yards, moving into the red zone at the Notre Dame 16. Finding themselves on third down, the Cougar offense secured a first down at the 5-yard line. On second-and-goal, Bachmeier scored on a designed quarterback run up the middle, capping off an 11-play, 75-yard drive that lasted 5:39. With the successful extra point from Matthias Dunn, BYU took an early 7-0 lead.

At the start of the Notre Dame drive, quarterback Carr found receiver Jordan Faison, who worked his way up the sideline and was knocked out of bounds at the 43. After runs and another Faison reception, the Fighting Irish moved the chains to the BYU 29. On third down, Carr overthrew Faison, sending out the field goal unit. Notre Dame kicker Spencer Porath put a 46-yard field goal through the uprights, moving the score to 7-3 with 5:06 left in the quarter.
 
With BYU back on offense, Kasper caught a quick pass on an out route for four yards. After a rush from Rex for no gain, Bachmeier tossed to Lyons for a conversion on third down. Bachmeier delivered another pass to Kasper on a misdirection play-action pass, moving the chains after a 10-yard gain. Three fruitless plays ensued, and Fuller Shurtz punted the ball away to the BYU 16.

Facing a quick third down, the Irish handed the ball off to running back Nolan James Jr., who ran up the middle and past the BYU linebackers for a gain of 26 yards, ending the first quarter at midfield.

Second Quarter

Notre Dame opened the quarter with two handoffs to James, with defensive end Nusi Taumoepeau stuffing the rush for a loss of three yards. On third down, Irish receiver Michah Gilbert converted with a one-handed catch for 13 yards at the sideline, moving into Cougars territory. Faison followed with a 12-yard reception, moving into the red zone at the BYU 12-yard line. On third-and-six, James ran up the middle for an eight-yard score. With the successful point after, Notre Dame took the lead 10-7 with 10:37 remaining in the half.

The Cougars opened their possession facing third-and-2 after two plays. Bachmeier scrambled for five and extended the drive with a first down. BYU crossed midfield into Irish territory two plays later after a Kasper reception for 10 yards. Bachmeier continued through the air, finding Glasker for a 19-yard gain. On third down, Bachmeier pitched to Rex on a speed option, converting for a first down to the Notre Dame 15.

On the next play, Kasper caught a backward pass and threw it back to Bachmeier in the flat. After a block from center Bruce Mitchell, Bachmeier tailed behind lead blocker Bott Mulitalo, scoring a 15-yard receiving touchdown, the first of his collegiate career. With the extra point from Dunn, the Cougars reclaimed their lead, 14-10.

Riding the offensive momentum, BYU’s defense forced a three-and-out, reclaiming possession at the BYU 28 with 4:19 remaining in the half.

Glasker opened the Cougar drive with an eight-yard reception. Rex received the call on the next play and escaped to the outside for a 23-yard rush. Glasker then earned another eight-yard reception and ushered in the two-minute timeout. Out of the break, the Irish were penalized with an illegal substitution, renewing the drive at the 27-yard line. Tonga’s reception in the flat, juke and run moved the chains again, and BYU earned a fresh set of downs at the Notre Dame 15.

Offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick called a reverse to Glasker and moved the ball to the half-yard line. Bachmeier scored his third touchdown of the half on the next play, leaping over the Irish defensive line and across the goal line. Dunn’s successful PAT extended the Cougar lead to 21-10 with 1:29 left in the half.

The Irish began their drive with a 24-yard reception, moving the ball to midfield. On third down, Notre Dame converted with a short pass to the BYU 37. A pass interference penalty moved the chains again and put the ball at the Cougars’ 17-yard line. With nine seconds left, Carr bobbled the snap and attempted to spike the ball to kill the clock. After review, a fumble was ruled on the play, which was recovered by Jayven Williams, and BYU took over on offense. Bachmeier kneeled out the remaining six seconds, sprinted to the locker room with BYU cheers echoing through LaVell Edwards Stadium and the Cougars entered halftime up 21-10.

Third Quarter

Out of the half, BYU began on defense, and Carr delivered a first-down pass for 10 yards. With a batted-down pass from Isaiah Glasker and an incomplete pass on third down, the Irish punted the ball away to the BYU 16.

Rex opened the Cougars’ second-half offense with a three-yard reception from Bachmeier. Rex then ran for 12 yards, and a hands-to-the-face penalty against the Irish moved the ball to the 41-yard line. Receptions from Kasper and Phillips moved the ball past the 50 and gave BYU a fresh set of downs. An offensive pass interference on the Cougars negated a Phillips touchdown and moved the ball back to the 49-yard line. Shurtz’s punt put the ball at the 6-yard line, and Notre Dame took over on offense.

With field position in their favor, the Cougar defense held the Notre Dame offense to just nine yards, forcing a three-and-out. BYU mishandled the punt, and Notre Dame recovered at BYU’s 41. An incompletion and short rush brought up third down, and Tasili Akana tipped the ball at the line, disrupting the ball’s path to the receiver and forcing fourth down. The Irish elected to go for it and converted with a six-yard reception. Again facing third down, the Irish handed the ball off to James, who was stopped by Glasker for a gain of just one. Notre Dame sent out its field goal unit and shrunk the Cougars’ lead to 21-13 with a successful kick.

Cannon DeVries received the kickoff after the score and worked the ball to the 23. Bachmeier’s offense began with a two-yard rush from Rex. Two insufficient plays followed, bringing on the punt unit. The Cougars attempted to convert the fourth down with a fake punt and were stopped short of the line to gain, giving the Irish the ball at the Cougars’ 30 with 1:40 left in the third. 

On the second down of the drive, BYU safety Faletau Satuala broke up a pass in the middle, stopping a big gain from the Irish. BYU’s defense held strong, forcing a field goal. The successful field goal moved the score to 21-16, diminishing BYU’s advantage to five points.

BYU got the ball back with 11 seconds left in the third quarter and began its drive with a short gain from Rex, ending the third quarter. 

Fourth Quarter

Bachmeier was unable to convert on third down out of the break, and the Cougars punted the ball away to the Notre Dame 32-yard line.

The Irish moved into Cougar territory on a 34-yard reception by Jaden Greathouse on the Irish’s first set of downs. After a stop from Damuni, Carr converted on fourth down with a quarterback draw, giving Notre Dame a first-and-goal from the 10. The Irish scored two plays later, running in the ball from three yards out. Notre Dame converted on a two-point conversion, running in the ball and taking the lead 24-21 with 9:31 left in the game.

A five-yard reception from Lyons moved the drive to third down, the Cougars needing a conversion. Bachmeier dropped back and delivered a strike to Kasper, crossing into Notre Dame territory at the 41-yard line. Bachmeier threw to Kasper again on the next play, but the pass was intercepted by Notre Dame cornerback Jayden Sanders at the Irish 15.

BYU’s defense started the Irish possession with a tackle four yards behind the line of scrimmage as Uluave shot into the back field. No gain on second down led to third down, and the defense forced a three-and-out.

DeVries’ 23-yard punt return sent the Cougar offense back onto the field at the BYU 45-yard line. Phillips' nine-yard reception moved the chains on third down, now working on the Irish side of the field. After an incompletion on first down, Bachmeier tossed to Glasker for 26 yards, putting the ball at the 15-yard line. Bachmeier received the call on first down, rushing for five yards to the 10-yard line. Bachmeier ran again on the following play, faking a jet sweep and crossing the line to gain for a first down. Bachmeier’s ground game continued, rushing for three yards and ushering in the two-minute timeout, with the ball at the Notre Dame 2-yard line.

Bachmeier gained a yard on second-and-goal, leading to third-and-goal from the 1. A false start moved the offense back to the 6-yard line, still facing third down. On third down, Bachmeier secured the snap and threw a touchdown to Lyons in tight coverage off a slant route. With Dunn’s successful extra point, BYU reclaimed its lead, 28-24, with 1:47 left to play in the game. The drive lasted 3:56 and covered 55 yards in 10 plays.

Notre Dame opened its two-minute drill on the 25-yard line after a touchback and gained five yards on the first play. Incompletions on second and third downs led to a fourth down, with the Irish offense forced to remain on the field with two yards to gain. A seven-yard completion moved the chains and gave Notre Dame a fresh set of downs. Pressure from Uluave forced a quick pass from Carr, which was nearly intercepted by Glasker, but Greathouse secured a 24-yard pass and converted just two plays later. A timeout from BYU stopped the clock with 45 seconds left in the game and the ball at the BYU 37.

A seven-yard reception from Faison brought about another third down, with the Irish needing four yards to convert. Uluave narrowly missed a sack, and Carr found Faison again for a conversion to the BYU 19 with 26 seconds remaining. A five-yard reception and incompletion led to fourth down, with 10 seconds remaining and five yards needed to reset the downs. Carr delivered to Gramm, who converted again, and the Irish took their third timeout with four seconds remaining. From the 9-yard line, Carr rolled right, targeting Greathouse. The ball sailed past the intended receiver as time expired, sealing BYU’s 28-24 victory over the second-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Up Next 
The Cougars travel to Orlando, Fla., to take on the UCF Knights in the Acrisure Bounce House on Saturday. Time and broadcast details will be announced on Monday. Listen to Greg Wrubell for live play-by-play broadcast on BYU Radio.