Story perspectives

BYU upsets No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 after review

By Drooid · Oct 18, 2026, 2:38 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

BYU Upsets Notre Dame

The BYU Cougars upset No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 before 65,179 fans at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Quarterback Bear Bachmeier scored four touchdowns—one passing, two rushing, one receiving.
He became the first BYU player since Steve Young in 1983 to pass, run and catch a TD.
BYU defense held Notre Dame to two touchdowns and three field goals, ending with an incompletion.

Summary

Big 12 Acknowledges Error

Big 12 admitted a blown call, saying Notre Dame deserved an extra play.
Officials missed a clear pass-interference on cornerback Evan Johnson on the final play.
Defensive end Boubacar Traore was ejected for targeting, weakening Notre Dame’s pass rush.
Georgia’s loss let Miami claim No. 1 after a double-OT win.
BYU earned its first top-2 victory since 2004.

Summary

McAulay Highlights Timing

The Big 12 announced a full review of its end-game officiating process before next week’s contests.
Former NFL referee Terry McAulay posted that the stadium clock showed :01 and replay should have examined it.
Fox analyst Mike Pereira called the missed second “embarrassing for all officiating” and urged an immediate review.
Analysts speculate the CFP Committee could consider the timing controversy when ranking Notre Dame and BYU later.

History

Historical Context

Controversial calls have long shaped the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, from the delayed 10-second pass-interference flag in the 2003 Fiesta Bowl to the top-two BCS showdown in 2006 that attracted 21.8 million viewers. Those incidents have repeatedly prompted calls for officiating reforms, a backdrop for today’s scrutiny of the 2024 BYU-Notre Dame missed call.

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BYU Upsets Notre Dame

The BYU Cougars upset No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 before 65,179 fans at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Quarterback Bear Bachmeier scored four touchdowns—one passing, two rushing, one receiving.
He became the first BYU player since Steve Young in 1983 to pass, run and catch a TD.
BYU defense held Notre Dame to two touchdowns and three field goals, ending with an incompletion.

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