Notre Dame, BYU meet in first top-10 game at LaVell Edwards Stadium
Second-ranked Notre Dame plays at eighth-ranked BYU at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Eastern time, KSL Sports and TSN reported. It is the first top-10 game ever at BYU's LaVell Edwards Stadium, The Associated Press and TSN reported. BYU will play without star running back LJ Martin, who is out with an injury.
No. 2 Notre Dame (6-0) visits No. 8 BYU (5-0) on Saturday in Provo, Utah, in the first top-10 matchup ever played at LaVell Edwards Stadium, The Associated Press and TSN reported. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET, or 5:30 p.m. Mountain time, KSL Sports and TSN reported. KSL Sports listed ABC as the TV network.
This is the first time in the series that both teams are ranked, the AP reported. The game opens a two-year home-and-home series, and oddsmakers have made BYU a 10.5-point home underdog, the AP reported. Notre Dame is the highest-ranked opponent BYU has faced at home since it hosted No. 1 USC in 2004, the AP reported.
BYU will be without running back LJ Martin, the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, KSL Sports reported. Martin is out until November with a lower-body injury, the AP reported. That leaves more of the running load to sophomore quarterback Bear Bachmeier, the AP reported.
Notre Dame has won 16 straight games, each by double digits, TSN reported. Quarterback CJ Carr has thrown 16 touchdown passes and one interception this season, TSN reported. Notre Dame leads the nation in total defense, allowing 214.2 yards per game, and BYU leads the Big 12 at 254.4 yards, the AP reported.
"You want to play against the best and you know this is going to be, on paper, the best opponent we're going to see, to date," Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said, according to the AP. BYU coach Kalani Sitake said Notre Dame sought out the series. "When they reached out and wanted this series and wanted this game, I thought that was a huge opportunity for us to play them," Sitake said, according to the AP.
Both teams have a chance to build their College Football Playoff case, the AP reported. A BYU win could also help the Big 12 in its hopes of getting two playoff bids, KSL Sports and TSN reported. KSL Sports' Mitch Harper called it "the biggest regular-season game in BYU football history."
What we know: Unbeaten Notre Dame and BYU meet Saturday night in Provo with playoff stakes for both.
What we don't: How BYU's offense will fare without LJ Martin, and how the result will reshape the playoff race.
Where outlets agree The Associated Press and TSN both report that Saturday's game is the first top-10 matchup ever played at LaVell Edwards Stadium.
Where they differ The outlets cited here report the same key facts so far.