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notre dame vs byu: 1:47 left, and the night in Provo was turned upside down
With 1:47 left in the game, the score was 24–21. No. 8 BYU was on the ropes at home in LaVell Edwards Stadium, facing No. 2 Notre Dame. BYU had built a 21–10 halftime lead, but let Notre Dame claw its way back in the second half—and ultimately surrender the lead in the fourth quarter. The finish to this marquee matchup between two undefeated teams seemed to be tipping in Notre Dame’s favor.
But the final drive completely changed the notre dame vs byu showdown.
Bear Bachmeier held firm when the pressure was at its highest. He led a clutch drive downfield, then threw a 7-yard pass to Walker Lyons near the end zone. The ball found Lyons perfectly, and BYU reclaimed the lead, 28–24.
With 1:47 on the clock, the night in Provo became more than a comeback—it became the scene of the season’s biggest upset.
What made the moment even more dramatic was the way the game had unfolded. BYU took control early, but Notre Dame tightened up on defense in the second half and stifled the Cougars’ offense. A scoreless third quarter followed by a fourth-quarter comeback showed the Fighting Irish’s strength as a top team. That’s why Bachmeier’s go-ahead touchdown was more than just another score. It was a declaration that a rattled home team had taken control of the game again.
And BYU’s defense had the final say. Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr still had one last chance, but his pass toward the end zone fell incomplete. BYU held firm at the goal line, sealed the 28–24 win, and sent the stadium into an eruption of cheers.
This notre dame vs byu matchup will be remembered for one final pass and one final defensive stand. The 7-yard connection between Bachmeier and Lyons, along with BYU’s refusal to back down at the goal line, turned a clash between two undefeated powerhouses into a historic upset.
Notre Dame vs. BYU: BYU Seizes the Early Momentum with a 21–10 Lead
The halftime score was BYU 21, Notre Dame 10. Early in notre dame vs byu, the momentum swung more decisively toward the home team than expected. No. 8 BYU held control from the opening kickoff, while No. 2 Notre Dame found itself under pressure to play catch-up early.
At the heart of it all was quarterback Bear Bachmeier. He calmly found his rhythm in the passing game and, when pressure came, used his mobility to throw the defense off balance. BYU’s offense didn’t rely on just one pattern. It picked up the tempo with short, accurate passes, then added Bachmeier’s movement to keep Notre Dame’s defense guessing.
The energy of the home crowd also fueled BYU’s early surge. LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo grew louder with every successful drive, while the pressure of playing on the road began to mount for Notre Dame. BYU fed off the atmosphere, scoring 21 points in the first half and dictating the pace of the game.
But a 21–10 lead was no guarantee of safety. Notre Dame had the talent and experience to turn things around quickly if it could regain momentum. BYU had come close to a perfect first half, but it now faced an even bigger challenge: holding on to that advantage after the break.
Notre Dame vs BYU: The Comeback—and the Final Stop in the End Zone
Notre Dame looked like a completely different team in the third quarter. They shut out BYU’s offense, seized back the momentum, and chipped away at a 21–10 halftime deficit. By the fourth quarter, they had taken a 24–21 lead. A chance to extend their winning streak to 16 games was within reach.
But notre dame vs byu wasn’t over just because Notre Dame had the lead.
With 1:47 left, BYU reclaimed the advantage, 28–24, on Bear Bachmeier’s 7-yard touchdown pass. Notre Dame had one last chance. The offense, led by CJ Carr, reached the end zone, putting the Irish one play away from completing a stunning road comeback.
Carr’s pass sailed toward Jaden Greathouse in the end zone. But the connection never came. BYU’s defense disrupted the pass at the last moment and held firm at the goal line. After the game, debate continued over whether pass interference should have been called—but the result stood.
Notre Dame’s comeback was undeniably impressive. But being a great team takes more than completing a comeback. It also takes the ability to protect a lead and deliver the winning score on the final drive. On this night in Provo, Notre Dame missed that final punctuation mark.
Notre Dame vs. BYU: The Go-Ahead Touchdown and the Last Line of Defense at the Goal Line
The game wasn’t decided by a single play. BYU reclaimed the lead with a clutch offensive drive, then protected it with a defensive stand. The most intense moments of notre dame vs byu came back-to-back with less than two minutes remaining.
Trailing 21–24, BYU’s Bear Bachmeier stayed composed. He moved the offense forward under pressure and, with 1 minute and 47 seconds left, connected with Walker Lyons on a 7-yard touchdown pass. That one completion put BYU back in front, 28–24.
Bachmeier’s pass was more than a score—it was the decisive blow that turned a major upset into reality.
But the final test was still to come. Notre Dame, led by CJ Carr, drove toward the end zone and gave itself one last chance to turn the game around. On the final play, Carr’s end-zone pass intended for Jaden Greathouse fell incomplete, as BYU’s defense held firm at the goal line.
The play also sparked debate over whether there should have been a pass interference call. It was a frustrating moment for Notre Dame, but in the end, BYU found the answer on both offense and defense when it mattered most.
From the go-ahead touchdown to the goal-line stop, the night in Provo ended with cheers, tension, and controversy over the officiating—all culminating in BYU’s historic 28–24 victory.
Notre Dame vs. BYU: The Upset That Shook Up the Playoff Picture
BYU’s 28–24 victory was more than a stunning home upset. The dramatic finish to Notre Dame vs. BYU changed both teams’ season goals and the College Football Playoff race.
With the win, BYU snapped a four-game losing streak against Notre Dame. By taking down the No. 2 team, the Cougars also moved beyond their “dark horse” label and emerged as legitimate playoff contenders on the national stage. Bear Bachmeier’s game-winning drive and the defense’s final stand at the goal line proved that BYU can withstand pressure against elite opponents.
But the real challenge starts now. A signature win commands the nation’s attention, but a playoff berth is earned through consistent performance week after week. BYU must prove over the rest of its Big 12 schedule that this victory wasn’t simply fueled by the home crowd or a moment of emotion. From here on out, opponents will prepare for the Cougars not as an underdog, but as a formidable contender they have to beat.
For Notre Dame, the loss cuts even deeper. Its 16-game winning streak and undefeated record are gone, and the Irish couldn’t close out the game after taking the lead in the fourth quarter. Losing by four points on the road to a top-10 opponent doesn’t end the season. But for a team aiming for a high seed in the CFP race, it’s a definite setback.
Notre Dame, in particular, must show again that it can deliver in the decisive moment of a close game. CJ Carr and the offense mounted a comeback, but they couldn’t seal the win on their final trip to the end zone. To turn this loss into a turning point, the Irish will need to earn quality wins against tough opponents and regain their execution in the biggest moments.
In the end, this game marked the start of a breakthrough for one team and served as a warning to the other about its championship credentials. If BYU keeps building on this momentum, that night in Provo may be remembered not as the season’s biggest upset, but as the moment the Cougars announced themselves as a playoff team.
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