The rally came. BYU made the last play.
Notre Dame erased an 11-point halftime deficit and took a 24–21 lead in the fourth quarter, but BYU answered with a touchdown at 1:47 and stopped the final Irish drive at its seven-yard line to win 28–24.
The game turned difficult immediately. Boubacar Traore was ejected for targeting during BYU’s opening touchdown drive, removing Notre Dame’s premier edge-rush presence. The Irish answered a Spencer Porath field goal with an 84-yard touchdown drive and briefly led 10–7, but BYU’s creative offense took control. Bear Bachmeier caught a touchdown on a double pass, then ran for another as the Cougars built a 21–10 halftime lead.
Notre Dame’s most painful first-half mistake came in the final seconds. The Irish reached the BYU five, but CJ Carr lost control while trying to spike the ball with six seconds remaining. Instead of adding points before halftime, Notre Dame went to the locker room down 11.
The defense held BYU scoreless in the third quarter, and two Porath field goals pulled the Irish within five. Jonaz Walton’s touchdown and two-point run completed the comeback for a 24–21 lead. Jayden Sanders then intercepted Bachmeier, but Notre Dame went three-and-out. BYU drove 55 yards for the winning touchdown, and the Irish response ended with an incompletion in the end zone as time expired.
