BYU spent decades fighting for respect, and a win over Notre Dame finally delivered it — SkimNews
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- No. 8 BYU defeated No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 at LaVell Edwards Stadium, sealing the win when Notre Dame QB CJ Carr's pass to Jaden Greathouse fell incomplete in the end zone as time expired
- The win is expected to lift BYU into the AP top 5 for the first time since 1996, potentially to No. 3 — the program's highest ranking since the 1984 national championship squad
- Bear Bachmeier threw a backbreaking interception that helped Notre Dame erase an 11-point BYU lead, then led the game-winning drive capped by a touchdown pass to tight end Walker Lyons
- Notre Dame's roster budget reportedly doubles BYU's, and the Irish entered as college football's most recognizable brand despite BYU having more wins since 2024 than all but two FBS programs
- Critics had pointed to BYU's struggles against AP top-10 opponents — including two blowout losses to Texas Tech last season — while Texas Tech was shut out by Oregon in the College Football Playoff and TCU lost 65-7 to Georgia in the 2023 national title game
- Kalani Sitake acknowledged the upset but said BYU still needs to "progress" and "get better," framing the win as validation rather than a finish line
- The Big 12 Conference acknowledged after the game that one second remained on the clock when the ball hit the ground, meaning Notre Dame technically should have had one more play before fans stormed the field
Why it matters: A win over the sport's most iconic brand — whose roster budget reportedly doubles BYU's — positions the Cougars to crack the AP top 5 for the first time since 1996 and become the Big 12's College Football Playoff favorite. The result also pushes back on critics who've used recent Big 12 playoff failures (Texas Tech vs. Oregon, TCU's 65-7 loss to Georgia) to dismiss the conference itself.
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