Week 7 is absolutely stacked with top 25 games, but trust me, the main event for the night slate is 100 percent #3 Notre Dame (6-0) rolling into Provo to face #8 BYU (5-0). If you love seeing dynamic quarterbacks go head to head, then CJ Carr versus Bear Bachmeier is going to be an absolute treat. Both of these squads boast defenses ranking in the top 10 nationally for scoring, so we’re talking about a real clash.
Notre Dame’s Offense Is Absolutely Rolling
The Fighting Irish are coming off a dominant 58-7 beatdown of Stanford, and man, they wanted that rebound after beating North Carolina 37-26. They got it. Head Coach Marcus Freeman has his team humming, scoring on a ridiculous 10 out of 11 drives against Stanford, outside of some knee downs at the end of halves. They didn’t just score, they absolutely torched Stanford, outgaining them 598-203 in total yards. Plus, their defense wasn’t slouching, forcing three turnovers. Notre Dame’s offense has had no hiccups all year, establishing a three-man backfield in their last two outings. We’re talking 361 rushing yards against Stanford and 241 against North Carolina! And CJ Carr? The kid has eight total touchdowns in those two games alone. Notre Dame is 6-0, averaging 44.0 points per game, good for 4th in the country, and their defense is also 4th, allowing just 11.0 points per game. They have steadily climbed the rankings, and for them, the entire season comes down to two games: this one at BYU and a home game against Miami on November 7th. Basically, for Notre Dame, the season starts *now*.
BYU’s Defense Is Tough, But Bachmeier Has to Do It All
BYU enters this top 10 showdown with a big hurdle to clear: star running back LJ Martin is out for his second straight game. Missing a talent like that can sink an offense, but last week against Iowa State, BYU didn’t skip a beat. They put up 506 yards of offense in a 24-10 win! Bear Bachmeier was absolutely phenomenal, hitting season-highs with 329 passing yards, 109 rushing yards, and two touchdowns. Here’s the kicker though: outside of Bachmeier, their next highest rusher against Iowa State had just 21 yards. BYU is relying *heavily* on Bachmeier’s legs, with him totaling 24 carries, 175 rushing yards, and two touchdowns in their last two games. Talk about putting the team on your back! Luckily for the Cougars, their defense is in dominant form, allowing just 13.4 points per game this season and only 44 total points through three conference games. This is a battle of two top 10 defenses in Provo, so something’s gotta give.
The stage is set for an epic Saturday night showdown on October 17, 2026, at 7:30 PM Eastern from LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, UT. You can catch all the action on Peacock or NBC. The latest odds have Notre Dame as a 10.5 point favorite, but with BYU’s defense and Bachmeier’s heroics, anything can happen in this clash of undefeated teams. Get ready!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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