Notre Dame vs BYU Picks and Predictions for Saturday, October 17, 2026

The No. 2 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-0), the top-ranked FBS independent, visit the No. 8 BYU Cougars (5-0, 3-0 Big 12), which sit first in the Big 12 Conference standings, on Saturday at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC. Notre Dame defeated Stanford 58-7 last Saturday, while BYU beat Iowa State 24-10 on Friday. The Fighting Irish are 10.5-point road favorites, and the total is 47.5 points. Find more college football winners with our free NCAAF picks.

Notre Dame's Passing Attack Faces Another Top-10 Opponent

Notre Dame has won its last five games by scores of 58-7, 37-26, 49-10, 27-10, and 52-0. Quarterback CJ Carr has thrown for 1,378 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just one interception, completing 70.8% of his passes. Carr averages 9.6 yards per attempt, with Jordan Faison leading the team with 28 receptions, 387 yards, and four touchdowns. Micah Gilbert has added 378 yards on 19 catches.

The Fighting Irish have also rushed for 1,169 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 5.1 yards per attempt. Jonaz Walton leads with 409 yards on 52 carries, including a 97-yard run. Defensively, Notre Dame has recorded 15 sacks and seven interceptions. Boubacar Traore leads with 3.5 sacks, while Luke Talich has two interceptions. Notre Dame has allowed just 53 points across its last five games.

Injuries: Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Blake Hebert, and Leonard Moore are questionable. Quincy Porter is out.

BYU Relies on Its Ground Game and Defense

BYU has opened the season with five consecutive victories, including a 24-10 win over Iowa State and a 17-10 road victory against TCU. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier has completed 66.4% of his passes for 1,033 yards, eight touchdowns, and one interception. Legend Glasker leads the Cougars with 378 receiving yards and three touchdowns, averaging 19.9 yards per reception. Kyler Kasper has contributed 178 yards and three scores.

The Cougars have rushed for 1,119 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 6.0 yards per attempt. LJ Martin leads with 344 yards, although Martin is listed as out. Bachmeier has contributed 239 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while Journee Tonga has added 176 yards. BYU's defense has recorded 11 sacks and six interceptions. Tausili Akana leads with 3.5 sacks, and Cade Uluave has 26 tackles. BYU has allowed only 20 points across its last two games.

Injuries: Jackson Nye, Austin Gentry, Siale Esera, and Brody Laga are questionable. LJ Martin, Sione Moa, and Raider Damuni are out.

Key to the Game

Notre Dame's passing attack against BYU's defense is the central matchup. Carr has thrown 16 touchdowns against one interception, while BYU has intercepted six passes in five games. The Cougars also face a challenge on the ground without Martin and Moa. Bachmeier's rushing ability remains important, but Notre Dame's 15 sacks and seven interceptions present a difficult matchup for the BYU quarterback.

Notre Dame vs BYU Game Pick

• BYU +10.5 (-115)

BYU has allowed 10 points in each of its last two games, defeating TCU and Iowa State while maintaining an unbeaten record. The Cougars have six interceptions and 11 sacks through five games, giving their defense the numbers to challenge Notre Dame's passing attack. Although Carr has been outstanding, BYU has home-field advantage and a quarterback who has rushed for 239 yards and four touchdowns. Notre Dame remains the stronger team, but a double-digit spread is considerable against an undefeated, top-10 opponent playing at home this Saturday.

Notre Dame vs BYU Over/Under Pick

• Under 47.5 (-110)

BYU's last two games finished with 27 and 34 combined points, while Notre Dame has held three of its last five opponents to 10 points or fewer. The Cougars are missing their leading rusher, LJ Martin, and another running back in Sione Moa, reducing their available options on the ground. Notre Dame has recorded 15 sacks, while BYU has 11, creating pressure on both quarterbacks. With two defenses producing strong recent results, a lower-scoring contest fits the matchup better than a high-scoring game between the two teams.