Bachmeier’s fourth touchdown lifts BYU past Notre Dame, 28-24

Bear Bachmeier had already scored three touchdowns and thrown an interception when BYU got the ball back for its winning drive. He finished the night by finding Walker Lyons for a 6-yard touchdown with 1:47 remaining, lifting No. 8 BYU over No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 Saturday in Provo.

The Cougars improved to 6-0. Notre Dame fell to 6-1 after CJ Carr’s final throw toward Jaden Greathouse in the end zone landed incomplete. BYU’s official football account announced the result after the defense survived that last possession.

Bachmeier completed 23 of 36 passes for 224 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He added 45 rushing yards and two scores on 13 carries, plus a 15-yard touchdown reception from receiver Kyler Kasper. That gave the quarterback a hand in every BYU touchdown, though the Cougars needed almost the entire second half to get their fourth.

Notre Dame led 24-21 after Jonaz Walton’s 3-yard touchdown run and two-point conversion with 9:31 left. Jayden Sanders then intercepted Bachmeier, giving the Irish possession and a chance to protect the lead. BYU’s defense forced a punt, and Cannon DeVries returned it 23 yards to set up the offense at its own 45.

On the ensuing 55-yard drive, Bachmeier found Jojo Phillips for a third-down conversion and Legend Glasker for a 26-yard gain. Four consecutive quarterback runs moved BYU to the 1 before a false start backed it up. Bachmeier’s third-down throw to Lyons supplied the winning points. Notre Dame’s official recap confirms that the touchdown was BYU’s only score after halftime.

The Cougars had built a 21-10 halftime lead with considerably more variety. Bachmeier ran for touchdowns of 5 and 1 yards, with Kasper’s scoring pass to him between those runs. Notre Dame also lost edge rusher Boubacar Traore to a targeting ejection on the opening possession.

The Irish nearly cut into that lead before halftime. Carr’s attempted spike was reviewed and ruled a fumble, recovered by BYU’s Jayven Williams. The Cougars retained their 11-point advantage.

Their own mistakes reopened the game. DeVries muffed a third-quarter punt, and BYU later failed on a fake punt. The defense limited those two short-field possessions to Spencer Porath field goals, keeping Notre Dame from taking the lead until Walton’s fourth-quarter score. KSL’s Jaxon Wynder reported that the Cougars also recovered defensively after Bachmeier’s late interception.

Greathouse finished with eight catches for 125 yards, and Carr threw for 261 yards without a touchdown. Notre Dame gained 376 total yards to BYU’s 360.