BYU uses magical karma in upset of Notre Dame

No. 2 Notre Dame played for a No. 1 ranking on an upset Saturday and carried a season motto “Leave No Doubt” into Provo, where disrespected No. 8 BYU lay in wait.

The Cougars ended up leaving no doubt in a historic 28-24 win over Notre Dame, a national darling program that had six plays inside BYU’s 19 in the final 26 seconds. And all failed.

Bear Bachmeier ran for two touchdowns, caught another, and passed for a fourth in this win, a victory that will go down as the biggest football event in LaVell Edwards Stadium history.

A packed stadium celebrated long and hard afterward. The stands spilled the occupants onto the field in a passionate display of appreciation and elation.

After doing nothing after taking a 21-10 halftime lead, Bachmeier led BYU’s struggling offense in a legacy game-winning scoring drive with four minutes left in the game to put the Cougars up 28-24. His 6-yard touchdown over the head of a ducking striped official found tight end Walker Lyons for the game-winner.

BYU beats Notre Dame. It’s bedlam in Provo. Biggest win in generations for the Cougars and this is one of the best days of college football I’ve ever seen. What a day!

— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) October 18, 2026

Notre Dame’s famed leprechaun luck ran dry on a last-gasp heave from CJ Carr to Micah Gilbert in the south end zone sideline, where BYU corner Evan Johnson had locked him up. The pair of stars were locked up, step for step. Officials let them battle. The ball flew over Gilbert’s outstretched arms.

This was a monumental moment.

It was dramatic big time. A national game of huge interest with CFP ramifications.

BYU’s press box was filled with the voices of the college game, from ABC’s first-team talent to pundits from across the country packed shoulder to shoulder. The group included Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark.

Another of those was John Kurtz, a popular Big 12 expert with a national following of his “Open for Business” YouTube channel. Earlier in the week, Kurtz posted a podcast in which he said it was unfair to Kalani Sitake and BYU. The weight of the Big 12’s reputation was on the line Saturday night.

Kurtz, like many professionals covering the big event, was left a little stunned at what had taken place on PV3 Field.

I caught him before he went on a Big 12 podcast postgame.

“That’s one of the best college football games I’ve ever seen — certainly one of the best I’ve witnessed in person,” he said. “The drama, the stakes … think about the context. Not just what it means for BYU’s program after coming so close the last two years, but for the Big 12 and the entire league.

“I was listening to the (ABC) broadcast at the end, and even Kirk Herbstreit was stumping for the Big 12 before the game was over, talking about how impressive it was for the conference. BYU just did a real solid for everybody involved — Brett Yormark and the whole group — especially after what Texas Tech went through at Oregon last year. My brain is flooding with the ramifications. What a crazy, crazy game,” said Kurtz.

“That last drive? It was a Bear Bachmeier legacy drive, pure and simple. I even tweeted it beforehand. In the second half, he’d thrown for just 37 yards or so before that series. Then he hits the third-and-5, rips off a 26-yard gain on second-and-10, and overcomes everything—including a false start down at the 1-yard line.

“Honestly, that penalty might have helped. Instead of slamming him into the line again, they called a pass and he finds Walker Lyons in the end zone.”

Bachmeier did this after throwing an interception in his previous possession. BYU also had a horrible play call to run from punt formation in the third quarter on fourth-and-7 that lost four yards and yielded Notre Dame an easy field goal.

“Kalani won’t like this, me talking about myself,” said Bachmeier. “But Notre Dame disrespected me and my family and I wasn’t going to lose to these guys. I’m not going to say what, but there were receipts kept. I had a chip on my shoulder.”

That was the wackiest, wildest, most awesome day of college football of all time. Here is my new top 10. But 1 thing is clear. Anybody can beat anybody and the Big 12 needs multiple teams in the playoffs.
1. BYU
2. UCLA
3. Texas Tech
4. Miami
5. Utah
6. Ohio State
7. Ole…

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) October 18, 2026

That, folks, is the heaviest quote the media has ever gotten out of this normally stoic sophomore.

A muffed punt by Cannon DeVries also gave Notre Dame an easy third-quarter field goal. That was six points for the Fighting Irish on BYU special teams mistakes. It cost BYU all of the momentum gained in a 21-10 halftime advantage that stunned the experts.

“They did all of this without LJ Martin,” said Kurtz. “Bear took hits from the opening snap—helmet-to-helmet right away — and just kept coming. ... That guy is amazing.

“For the Big 12, the rankings fallout is massive. BYU is going to land in the top five. With Miami going to overtime with Florida State, Georgia losing, Miami losing, Texas losing. … if Utah holds on, you’re looking at three Big 12 teams in the top 10. That’s huge for the conference.

“And remember, Notre Dame could have been No. 1 with a win here. This wasn’t some fluke. I came in thinking if BYU were going to pull it off, it would look like Oklahoma’s Red River shootout— a special teams score, a defensive score, the defense hanging on, and maybe a late field goal,” said Kurtz.

“Instead, BYU was the team making the special teams mistakes: the fake punt and the muffed punt that swung the game, plus that offensive pass interference that kept it from being 28-10. Notre Dame was probably lucky to even have a shot from the 9-yard line at the end.”

The Cougars had gained 230 yards by halftime — the amount they usually hold opponents to on average for the entire game. This Fighting Irish defense was ranked No. 1 in the nation.

But what really stood out is BYU’s players elevated themselves to a remarkable level in this game.

According to 247Sports’ 2026 Composite of talent, Notre Dame’s squad had five five-star players, 54 four-star recruits and 40 three-star recruits. Conversely, BYU’s composite was zero five-stars, 13 four-star recruits, and 71 three-star players.

That is a huge chasm in “expert” talent evaluations.

But tell that to linebacker Cade Uluave, who continually harassed Carr on Notre Dame’s 15 final plays in 1:47 to end the game.

“This was probably the most incredible moment of my life. When it was over I fell to my knees and was crying,” said the Cal transfer.

And it had to be for others, like Bachmeier, who came in as a top-20 QB in many rankings, probably left the field a Heisman Trophy contender with his effort.

If he isn’t in the top five now, he should be for the way he performed on this stage.

“We need to do what Kalani said, stay humble and hungry and look forward to our next opponent,” said Bachmeier.

Added Uluave: “It was the most fun I’ve ever had in a game.”

BYU got 128 rushing yards from a committee effort in the wake of LJ Martin’s absence. That included 66 from Preston Rex, 45 from Bachmeier, 11 from Legend Glasker, and 6 from Journee Tonga. That was against an elite run defense.

Bachmeier finished this game with better numbers than Carr, considered by some to be the top QB in next year’s NFL draft. He completed 23 of 36 for 224 yards and a touchdown. His pass efficiency rating was 119. Carr completed 27 of 49 for 261 with no touchdowns and a 99.8 efficiency rating.

The thing is, BYU defeated No. 2 and the nation’s best defense without Big 12 offensive player of the year Martin.

That’s still a head-scratcher.

But this was BYU’s night.

This is a team playing with some high-level talent at most positions and the best defense since 1996, maybe better.

When corner Matthias Leach came in for significant minutes, it was the first time he’d played for the Cougars in any meaningful moment, if at all.

It was a magical day, a historic game, and it was BYU’s time.

“If you come to our house, we’re going to defend it. Our work isn’t done,” said Bachmeier.