Notre Dame vs. BYU: The History and Modern Resurgence of Catholics vs. Mormons
Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
This Saturday, October 17th, No. 2 Notre Dame will travel westward to take on No. 8 BYU in front of ESPN College GameDay in Provo, Utah. This matchup will mark the second instance in which both teams are currently ranked for the matchup. The Irish have dominated the series, beating the Cougars seven out of the nine total games played between the two. Now, the tension and anticipation rise as incense in front of the Golden Canyon backdrop; let's visit what makes this top-ten matchup special.
The First Holy War - 1992
The first iteration of the rivalry took place on a sunny and brisk late November afternoon, underneath the Golden Dome at Notre Dame Stadium, as Lou Holtz led his tenth-ranked Fighting Irish out of the tunnel to take on the struggling 4-3 Cougars, led by legendary Head Coach LaVell Edwards. Notre Dame had just been upset at home two games prior by Stanford, and were knocked out of championship contention. However, the sting of defeat sparked a deep flame of pent-up aggression inside Holtz's team, which they used to burn down the Cougar defense in a 42-16 victory. The game would end up becoming infamous when Holtz put referee Thomas Thamert in a headlock following a horrendous missed holding call against the BYU offensive line.
Notre Dame would only record one loss for the season, beating No. 4 Texas A&M to win the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas. On the contrary, BYU would suffer a loss to Kansas on Christmas Day in the Aloha Bowl. Although the first matchup wasn't thrilling for anyone but Irish fans, it set the stage for what was to come.
Catholics vs. Mormons
The following season, in 1993, No. 3 Notre Dame and BYU would face off again, this time in Provo. The Cougars were on an upward trajectory, starting the season 4-0 before getting upset in landslide fashion when No. 19 BYU lost to No. 25 UCLA 68-14 the week preceding the meeting with the Irish. The tumultuous loss prompted aftershocks, as the Irish decimated the Cougars 45-20.
The game that fueled the fire for the "Holy War" occurred the following season, in 1994, when unranked BYU traveled eastward once again to South Bend. Notre Dame was having trouble finding its feet after a week two loss to Michigan and a tragic home upset to Boston College the week prior. However, BYU had also been upset earlier in the season by Colorado State, which relaxed many Irish fans' nerves heading into the matchup.
Notre Dame got off to a favorable start when RB Randy Kinder ran in a 41-yard touchdown on the opening drive. Both teams would trade punts before the Cougars closed the first quarter with a 49-yard field goal. The second quarter would feature another field goal kick by the Cougars paired with a passing touchdown before Notre Dame found the goal line in a red zone passing touchdown to close the first half with a narrow 14-13 lead.
The third quarter would be a defensive masterclass, where neither team scored. Notre Dame's prevalent passing attack was stuffed by Edward's 4-3 defense, which is when Holtz opted for a ground assault. The Irish moved the ball to midfield well, but struggled to capitalize past that point. On the other hand, BYU was struggling to establish a run game, which wasn't a problem after John Walsh completed checkdown after checkdown.
At the start of the final quarter, a goal-line stand ended after BYU superstar senior RB Jamal Willis dove into the end zone for a two-yard rushing touchdown to give the Cougars a 19-14 lead. Coach Edwards opted for a two-point conversion attempt instead of kicking an extra point. It would prove to be an excellent decision when Walsh earned the two points after a successful pass. The remainder of the game would feature the Cougar defense stiffing any hope for an Irish victory. Notre Dame would finish the 1994 season 6-5-1, which was Coach Holtz's worst season since his first in 1986 and would become the worst season ever under Holtz.
Aftermath
Since the famous 1994 upset, the two programs have faced off six other times, with Notre Dame winning all but one (although two wins in 2012/2013 were later vacated). BYU did best Notre Dame in Provo in 2004, when the Cougars outlasted the Irish 20-17. The following year, Notre Dame QB Brady Quinn threw a school-record six touchdown passes in the 49-17 beatdown. In 2012 and 2013, Notre Dame would defeat BYU both times, although the pair of wins were later vacated. Finally, in 2022, the two religious institutions would meet in Sin City for the Shamrock Series. First-year Head Coach Marcus Freeman and his men were repping white and gold jerseys for the matchup. The new threads proved to be beneficial for the Irish, as QB Drew Pyne threw for 262 yards and TE Michael Mayer brought in 118 receiving yards in the 28-20 thriller against No. 16 BYU.
Both Irish and Cougar fans are stereotyped as "always living in the past." Perhaps the stereotype might possess some truth to it, which is why this top-ten matchup is as intense as it is. Now, add all the religious differences, historical upsets, and online beefs, and mix it together with modern playoff implications. We are all in for a treat this upcoming Saturday, and I look forward to telling my future children about the 2026 edition of 'Catholics vs Mormons.'
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