How Notre Dame's BYU Matchup Will Test the Irish's Legitimacy
Via Michael Caterina-Imagn Images
As the No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish prepare for their first true test of the season against the No. 8 BYU Cougars, Marcus Freeman’s team is looking to make a statement.
A lot can be said about the Irish’s 2026 schedule, and how the first six games of the season were de facto preseason tune-up games for the highly talented Notre Dame roster.
The Irish come into this test with a better understanding of this team’s identity. It took two-and-a-half games last year for Notre Dame to begin hitting their stride. Unfortunately, that resulted in two losses to start the season, which sank the Irish’s National Championship hopes.
The way the schedule presented itself this year allowed Notre Dame to figure out “who they are” after losing two first-round running backs. While they have dogpiled on the likes of Rice, Stanford, and Purdue, tougher matchups against Wisconsin, Michigan State, and North Carolina tested the Irish and forced them to bend into shape.
These early-season lessons can be beneficial in the long run, but also when Notre Dame plays against an opponent who has a similar level of talent.
As it stands now, the Irish will enter Provo, Utah, as 10.5-point favorites against a Top-10 team. They have a quarterback, in CJ Carr, who dazzles NFL scouts with his accuracy, football IQ, and command of the offense. It should be interesting to see how Carr, who loves to make adjustments at the line of scrimmage, will be able to operate in a frenzied crowd. LaVell Edwards Stadium should be extremely loud under the lights on Saturday night, but this is an environment where great teams thrive.
Defensively, the Irish are still waiting on confirmation for star cornerback, Leonard Moore’s status coming out of concussion protocol. Freeman said he is trending in the right direction to play on Saturday night, but is unsure of how many snaps he will be ready for.
The altitude will be playing an enormous factor as well, but Loren Landow, Notre Dame’s Strength & Conditioning coach, has previous experience with the Denver Broncos (2018-2023) and is well-equipped to handle the situation.
If the Irish want to break their 37-year National Championship drought, Notre Dame has to bring their A-game against the Cougars and display that they have the ability to dominate good competition.
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