BYU Upsets Notre Dame
No. 8 BYU beat No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 after a late drive and disputed final play.
October 18, 2026 · Updated Oct 18, 10:56am ET
NewsweekControversial Officiating on Final Play of Notre Dame-BYU Game Sparks Outrage
FOX NewsCollege football faces another clock controversy after BYU upsets Notre Dame
Chicago Sun-TimesNotre Dame's last-minute drive comes up short in loss at BYU
Deseret News3 takeaways from No. 8 BYU’s historic upset of No. 2 Notre Dame
Associated PressBachmeier leads winning drive, No. 8 BYU outlasts No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24
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Pano rates the coverage Mostly Right.
What happened
BYU beat Notre Dame 28-24 in Provo, improving to 6-0 and handing the Irish their first loss. Notre Dame entered unbeaten and ranked second nationally, while BYU was ranked eighth; a win would have put the Irish in position to claim No. 1. After trailing 21-10 at halftime, Notre Dame took a 24-21 lead on running back Jonaz WaltonJonaz WaltonAmerican football player’s late touchdown. BYU quarterback Bear BachmeierBear BachmeierAmerican football player answered with a touchdown pass to tight end Walker LyonsWalker LyonsAmerican football player (born 2004) with 1:47 left. Notre Dame reached BYU’s 9-yard line with four seconds left, then threw incomplete in the end zone. The Big 12Big 12 Conferencecollege athletics conference operating primarily in the west-central United States said its replay crew wrongly cleared that final play because one second remained, and it will review its end-game officiating process.
How the left told it
Left-leaning outlets we track didn't cover this story.
How the right told it
Right-leaning outlets framed BYU’s win as a breakthrough for national respect, playoff standing and proof of late-game nerve. Deseret News emphasized the Cougars’ rise in the rankings and College Football Playoff mix, while crediting Bear Bachmeier’s clutch closing drive. Fox News lingered on the clock controversy and faulted the replay crew for not intervening.
