The Shamrock Series heads to Sin City as Notre Dame and No. 16 BYU play a marquee between two high-profile independent shows. While Notre Dame has dropped out of the AP Top 25, the game still ranks as one of the best of the weekend.
Notre Dame had a week off to try to regroup after a shaky 2-2 start to the season. The Fighting Irish needed 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to rally against Cal, but found some offensive momentum in a 45-32 win over North Carolina. BYU has a quality win over Baylor but allowed a combined 50 points in inconsistent performances against Wyoming and Utah State.
BYU and Notre Dame have played eight times in history, with each meeting dating back to 1992. The Fighting Irish have a 6-2 all-time lead, including a 23-13 victory over the Cougars in 2013 behind 235 yards. coordinator Tommy Rees. However, BYU and Notre Dame have never played at a neutral site.
Notre Dame vs. BYU: I need to know
Inconsistent start: Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman became the first coach in program history to lose his first three games. The wins over Cal and North Carolina are encouraging, but it’s not clear what’s sustainable. Each game has looked slightly different, especially after quarterback Drew Pyne replaced the injured Ty Buchner in the starting lineup. With so much inconsistency, Notre Dame has yet to find a program identity.
Medium disappointing: BYU moved up to No. 12 after outpointing Baylor in double overtime, but the Cougars haven’t been themselves since that game. After losing 41-20 to Oregon, BYU needed late-game heroics to pull away from Wyoming and Utah State. Quarterback Jaren Hall has been consistently excellent with 1,438 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and just one interception, but the running game has dried up with receivers in and out of the lineup. Playing Notre Dame is a great opportunity to do well on a national stage.
defensive fight: Notre Dame and BYU boast two of the most physical defenses in the country. Even when the offense has struggled, Notre Dame has remained consistent defensively behind the leadership of All-Star defensive end Isaiah Foskey, a future NFL player. On BYU’s side, 15 players have at least one inning for loss. Linebacker Ben Bywater has been incredibly disruptive with two tackles for loss, two pick sixes and one pass defensed. Points will be slim, and both teams may have to try to overdo it to build offense.
How to watch Notre Dame vs. BYU live
Date: Saturday October 8 | Weather: 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Location: Allegiant Stadium — Paradise, Nevada
TV: NBC | Live broadcast: fuboTV (Try it for free)
Notre Dame vs. BYU prediction, picks
featured game | Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. BYU Cougars
Notre Dame still hasn’t found its groove after four games. Scoring 45 points against North Carolina was a good move, but it’s hard to accept too much moving the ball against one of the worst defenses in the nation. BYU, by contrast, has shown both boom and bust potential. Expect this matchup to be more of a boom – the game has undoubtedly been circling Jaren Hall’s schedule for months. Prediction: BYU +3.5
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