Looks like BYU is finally going to get its shot at Notre Dame. The two programs announced a home-and-home football series on Monday, with games set for 2026 in Provo and 2027 in South Bend. It’s been a long time coming, especially considering the history between these two and how Notre Dame pulled out of the Pop-Tarts Bowl this year like a bunch of babies.
Let’s not forget, BYU was lined up to play Notre Dame in Orlando this postseason. That was the matchup. That was the plan. And Notre Dame decided they were too good for it. Straight up threw a fit behind the scenes and decided not to play a bowl game. It was soft then, and it’s still soft now. So yeah, getting this series officially on the books feels like a bit of overdue accountability.
The last time these two played was back in 2013. BYU went to South Bend that year. They also went there in 2012. Part of the original deal was that Notre Dame would eventually come to Provo for a return trip. That game never happened. Notre Dame just let it die quietly, and BYU moved on. Now, after more than a decade, the Cougars are finally getting the Irish to show up at LaVell Edwards Stadium, and it comes with a return trip. That’s a win no matter how you slice it.
The 2026 game in Provo is going to be one of the biggest home games in BYU history. It’s not every day Notre Dame agrees to travel west, and now they’re showing up to play a Big 12 team on their home field. BYU fans are going to be ready. The 2027 game in South Bend will be a cool one, too, but let’s be honest, the real circle-the-date moment is when the Irish come to Utah.
BYU’s been in the Power Four for multiple years now, and this is exactly the kind of series you want to see if the program is going to take the next step. Big-time games with the opportunity to bully Notre Dame into a conference, straight up. Notre Dame might’ve bailed on this year’s bowl, but this fall, they’ll have to show up for real.
