BYU Cougars (Credits: ESPN)
In a Saturday night thriller at LaVell Edwards Stadium, No. 8 BYU stunned No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24, handing the Fighting Irish their first loss of the season and moving to a perfect 6-0.
Sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier accounted for four touchdowns — two rushing, one passing, and one on a reception — in a statement performance that has the Cougars firmly in the playoff conversation.
Bachmeier Does It All
BYU struck first with a 75-yard opening drive capped by Bachmeier’s five-yard touchdown run, and the Cougars never looked back in the first half. The sophomore even caught a 15-yard touchdown on a trick-play throwback pass, helping BYU build a 21-10 halftime lead.
Notre Dame was already on the back foot after star defensive end Boubacar Traore was ejected for targeting just two and a half minutes into the game, gutting the Irish pass rush at 4,630 feet above sea level.
Controversial Finish in Provo
The Irish fought back behind quarterback CJ Carr, taking a 24-21 lead late in the fourth quarter before Bachmeier led a game-winning drive capped by a 6-yard touchdown pass to Walker Lyons with 1:47 left.
Notre Dame’s final drive reached the BYU 8-yard line with seconds remaining, but Carr’s pass to Jaden Greathouse fell incomplete as the clock expired. Fans and media immediately blasted the non-call, with many arguing defensive pass interference should have been flagged — and that one second should have remained on the clock.
Notre Dame falls to 6-1 and will now watch the playoff picture shift dramatically, while unbeaten BYU’s championship credentials just got very real.
Also Read: Auburn Stuns No. 1 Georgia 27-24: All the Wild Numbers Behind the Historic Upset | Ohio State Survives No. 5 Indiana 19-15
Source: ESPN — read the full story there.
