How Notre Dame declining Pop-Tarts Bowl led to home-and-home with BYU

Notre Dame football didn't have the season it wanted in 2025, narrowly missing out on the College Football Playoff due to a pair of early season losses to Texas A&M and Miami, both of which jumped the Fighting Irish for a CFP bid in the final week before the postseason.

As a result, Notre Dame was set to play BYU in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, fans' favorite postseason event outside the CFP. The Fighting Irish backed out, though, resulting in the Cougars' 25-21 win over Georgia Tech for all the glory Pop-Tarts had to offer.

Notre Dame won't be able to avoid BYU on Saturday, Oct. 17.

REQUIRED READING: Notre Dame-BYU clash carries College Football Playoff implications, Big 12 dreams

The No. 2 Fighting Irish (6-0) travel to face No. 8 BYU (5-0, 3-0 Big 12) at 7:30 p.m. ET at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. The regular season matchup will be the site of ESPN's "College GameDay," marking the first time the pregame show has traveled to BYU since 2009.

Notre Dame is walking into easily the most hostile environment it has faced so far this season. If it weren't for declining the Pop-Tarts Bowl last season, its home-and-home series against BYU in 2026-27 would've likely never happened.

Here's how Notre Dame declining a bowl invite resulted in it playing BYU on Saturday:

How Notre Dame declining Pop-Tarts Bowl resulted in home-and-home with BYU

Notre Dame and BYU were the first two teams left out of the CFP last season, with the Fighting Irish being left out rather controversially. Notre Dame ran the table after suffering nonconference losses to Miami and Texas A&M early in the season, whereas the Cougars dropped both of their games to Texas Tech in dominant fashion.

As the two top-ranked teams to not make the 12-team CFP, Notre Dame and BYU were invited to the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando. Notre Dame declined, though, ending its season prematurely after being snubbed. It was disappointing from BYU's side, as the school looked forward to facing a program of Notre Dame's stature, especially with both schools' faith-based background.

But only two weeks after the CFP bracket was unveiled, the two teams agreed to a home-and-home series for 2026-27 thanks to a phone call from Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua. Bevacqua and BYU athletic director Brian Santiago, who connected before the 2025 season through what they called a "mutual friend," stayed in touch after Notre Dame declined the Pop-Tarts Bowl.

"(Bevacqua) said, ‘Hey Brian, what if we play next year in Provo?’” Santiago told the Deseret News in May. “The timing of it was fortunate, obviously. I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s play.’”

It worked out perfectly for both schools. BYU's previously scheduled home-and-home series against Cal was canceled on Dec. 17 after the ACC went to a 9-game conference schedule. Five days later, BYU and Notre Dame agreed to a home-and-home series for 2026 and 2027, with the Fighting Irish traveling to Provo, Utah, in 2026 and the Cougars traveling to South Bend, Indiana, in 2027.

Notre Dame also had an opening due to its annual rivalry game at Southern California being tabled until 2030.

“There is a way bigger play here to try to bring positive light to the Savior, a positive light to college athletics in a very unique way,” Santiago told the Deseret News. “Our institutions are well known for our religious missions. The fact that we are coming together, and both have a history of success in athletics … is amazing.

BYU-Notre Dame series record, history

Notre Dame has a 7-2 all-time record against BYU, although that mark is officially a 5-2 record due to its wins over the Cougars in 2012 and 2013 being vacated due to academic misconduct violations.

BYU's last win over the Fighting Irish came in 2004, when it won 20-17 at home. Notre Dame last won in 2022, when the two schools faced off at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas as both Independent teams.

• 2022: Notre Dame 28, BYU 20 (Las Vegas)
• 2013: Notre Dame 23, BYU 13 (South Bend, Indiana)
• 2012: Notre Dame 17, BYU 14 (South Bend, Indiana)
• 2005: Notre Dame 49, BYU 23 (South Bend, Indiana)
• 2004: BYU 20, Notre Dame 17 (Provo, Utah)
• 2003: Notre Dame 33, BYU 14 (South Bend, Indiana)
• 1994: BYU 21, Notre Dame 14 (South Bend, Indiana)
• 1993: Notre Dame 45, BYU 20 (Provo, Utah)
• 1992: Notre Dame 42, BYU 16 (South Bend, Indiana)

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Notre Dame declining Pop-Tarts Bowl led to home-and-home with BYU