BYU Upsets No. 2 Notre Dame in Thriller Amidst Chaotic College Football Saturday
Bear Bachmeier's late touchdown pass and goal-line stand secure a landmark victory for the Cougars, who benefited from a day of upsets across the top 25.
No. 8 BYU secured a monumental 28-24 victory over No. 2 Notre Dame on Saturday night, fueled by Bear Bachmeier's go-ahead touchdown pass with under two minutes remaining and a dramatic defensive stop at the goal line.
The upset unfolded on a Saturday marked by unprecedented parity in college football, as five of the top eight teams in the AP Top 25 suffered losses, a first for the regular season. This chaos at the top also saw No. 1 Georgia fall to Auburn, marking the first time since 2012 that both of the nation's top two teams lost on the same regular-season Saturday.
Bachmeier was instrumental in BYU's triumph, contributing two rushing touchdowns, one receiving touchdown, and 224 passing yards. His performance helped the Cougars (6-0) achieve their first win against Notre Dame since 2004 and marked their third consecutive 6-0 start to a season. Running back Preston Rex added 66 yards on 10 carries to the BYU effort.
Following Bachmeier's decisive touchdown pass, Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr led the Irish down the field, converting key passes to reach the BYU 9-yard line with four seconds left. However, his final pass fell incomplete in the end zone, sealing the victory for BYU.
The game was a back-and-forth affair, with Notre Dame erasing an 11-point halftime deficit. The Irish capitalized on BYU's special teams miscues, including a muffed punt return and a failed fake punt, to kick two field goals and take a 24-21 lead with 9:31 left on a touchdown run by Jonaz Walton.
BYU's offense, however, responded. After a costly interception by Notre Dame gave the Irish possession, Bachmeier orchestrated a 55-yard, 10-play drive, culminating in a 6-yard touchdown reception by Walker Lyons with 1:47 remaining.
For Notre Dame (6-1), Carr threw for 261 yards, and Nolan James Jr. added 77 rushing yards and a touchdown. The loss snapped the Irish's 16-game winning streak.
Bachmeier's dual-threat capability proved challenging for the Irish defense early on. He connected on 72% of his passes in the first half and scored on a 5-yard touchdown run to open the scoring. Notre Dame briefly took a 10-7 lead on an 8-yard touchdown run by James.
Bachmeier quickly regained the lead for BYU with a 15-yard touchdown catch and a subsequent 1-yard touchdown dive, extending the Cougars' lead to 21-10 at halftime. The Irish had an opportunity to narrow the gap before halftime, but Carr fumbled near the BYU goal line, and Isaiah Glasker recovered, marking only Notre Dame's second turnover of the season.
Notre Dame's Struggles The Irish offense faltered in the red zone, turning the ball over once and settling for field goals on drives that started deep in BYU territory.
BYU's Near Misses The Cougars nearly extended their lead in the third quarter, but a penalty nullified a long touchdown reception. The team also committed consecutive special teams errors that allowed Notre Dame to mount a comeback.
