BYU just pulled off a wild 28-24 upset against Notre Dame, and for junior quarterback CJ Carr, what was supposed to be his trump card night against an “unheralded” Bear Bachmeier turned into a total nightmare. This wasn’t just any game, either. Before kickoff, some were pegging Carr as a potential first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft and one of the most talented signal-callers to ever roll through South Bend. Now, after his performance, everything looks way more complicated for him and the Irish.
Carr’s Career-Low Night Against an Elite D
Carr came into this game looking like a machine, clearing 63% completion and a 155 passer rating in every single game this season. But against BYU, the first elite defense on their schedule, he absolutely looked mortal. The junior completed a career-low 55.1% of his passes, going just 27-of-49 overall for only 5.3 yards per attempt. As BYU started building that double-digit lead, Carr hit a brutal stretch where he completed only 7 of 17 passes across the second and third quarters. Think about that drop-off. Right on their first drive, he airmailed a pass to a wide-open Jordan Faison who was streaking toward the end zone. That was a sign of things to come. Carr connected on only 30.4% of his passes further than 10 yards downfield, according to Pro Football Focus. He was hitting 60.0% of those before this matchup. Plus, he attempted 23 passes 10+ yards downfield against BYU, a huge jump from his 7.8 per game average in their six wins. BYU might not have sacked him, but he was pressured a career-high 13 times. You could see him trying to force plays, and it just kept slipping away.
Bachmeier Shines, Irish Running Game Stymied
Carr’s inconsistency allowed BYU’s defense to absolutely key in on Notre Dame’s running game, holding them to a measly 2.4 yards per carry in the entire second half. Meanwhile, on the other side, BYU’s Bear Bachmeier played the game of his life. The sophomore posted 224 yards passing, added 45 yards rushing, 15 yards receiving, and racked up four touchdowns. That’s a serious performance when the spotlight was supposed to be on Carr. Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman didn’t pull any punches either, saying, “I don’t know, it wasn’t the preparation. Some of those big plays that he usually hits, we weren’t executing on. We weren’t hitting them. I don’t know if it’s CJ’s fault, I don’t know if it’s the wide receivers’ fault or an accumulation of both.” That’s not exactly a vote of confidence, is it?
This loss brings up some familiar conversations around the Irish, especially with an early-November clash against No. 1 Miami looming. This team now has absolutely no room for error if they want to get back on track. Big test coming up fast, and it feels like the whole season hinges on how they respond.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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