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BYU will host Notre Dame on Saturday in a matchup that promises national attention and program-defining stakes. The game is the first leg of a home-and-home arrangement that fills a 2026–27 scheduling hole for the Irish and gives the Cougars a rare top-10 measuring stick on their home field.
A landmark game in Provo
This meeting will be the first time a top-10 matchup has taken place at LaVell Edwards Stadium. Notre Dame arrives ranked No. 2 in the AP Top 25, while BYU sits at No. 8. ESPN’s College GameDay will be on campus for the first time since 2009, underscoring the national spotlight on Provo.
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The two programs agreed to the series after Notre Dame and USC could not reach terms to continue their annual game in 2026 and 2027. Notre Dame initiated contact, and BYU accepted the invitation to fill those dates.
What’s at stake
For BYU, a victory over a top-five opponent would be its first such win since 2009 and could significantly enhance the Cougars’ College Football Playoff profile. The matchup also offers a platform to showcase recent program investments and the trajectory coach Kalani Sitake has built since taking over.
The teams last met in 2022, when Notre Dame won 28–20. Sitake said the offer came from the Irish and called it “a huge opportunity” for BYU to test itself against elite competition.
Major new investment for BYU football
Last week BYU announced a long-term partnership with in-state firm PV3 Enterprises. The agreement, described by the university as the largest financial commitment in the program’s history, includes naming rights to the stadium’s playing surface, funding for facility upgrades and an NIL initiative targeting select athletes.
Sitake has publicly pushed for greater support and said the PV3 deal represents progress toward narrowing resource gaps with other programs. The investment comes as BYU looks to accelerate growth after several seasons of on-field success.
Resources, spending and performance
Under Sitake, now in his 11th season, BYU has compiled sustained success. Since 2020 the Cougars have posted four seasons of 10 or more wins and are tied for the sixth-most wins nationally over that span, with 62 victories — a total that matches Michigan when including this season’s 5–0 start.
Financially, the program operates with less than many peers. Estimates from The Athletic place BYU roughly 40th in roster spending, at about $20 million to $25 million. That sits near the Big 12 average but well under conference spend leaders such as Texas Tech, which is estimated at $38 million to $42 million.
There has been targeted investment in the coaching staff. Sitake’s extension pays roughly $9 million to $9.5 million per year, making him one of the top‑paid coaches nationally. Donors such as Jason McGowan, cofounder and CEO of Crumbl, helped support that deal amid interest in Sitake from other institutions last year.
Still, Sitake has argued the program frequently must “do the most with the least.” He told local media that BYU needs access to the same basic resources many opponents enjoy, and that leveling the playing field would allow the program to advance more quickly.
Saturday’s matchup: expectations and obstacles
Oddsmakers list BYU as roughly a 10.5–11.5 point underdog for the game. The Cougars will be without running back LJ Martin, one of their most productive players, which complicates the upset path.
Notre Dame has dominated through the first half of the season, winning its first six games by an average margin of about 33 points. Sitake praised the Irish, noting their ranking reflects a deep, well‑rounded program.
Looking beyond the weekend, Sitake stopped short of confirming matchups past 2027 but signaled openness to continuing the series. He also reiterated BYU’s willingness to schedule prominent nonconference games as the program seeks more national opportunities.
