The 2026 BYU football schedule is officially locked in, and there’s plenty to unpack. From a marquee home matchup with Notre Dame to a midseason stretch that keeps the Cougars mostly in-state, this slate offers a little bit of everything - and sets the stage for what could be a pivotal year in Provo.
Let’s start with the headline: BYU will host Notre Dame in 2026. That’s not just a big-time opponent - it’s a statement.
For years, getting the Irish to come to Provo felt like a long shot. But credit to BYU’s athletic department, particularly AD Brian Santiago, for getting it done.
This home-and-home deal starts in 2026 at LaVell Edwards Stadium, and it’s a major win for the program, both on the field and in terms of national visibility.
Here’s how the full schedule shakes out:
- Sep. 5 - vs. Utah Tech (FCS)
- Sep. 12 - vs. Arizona
- Sep. 19 - at Colorado State
- **Sep.
26** - BYE
- Oct. 3 - at TCU
- Oct. 10 - vs. Iowa State
- Oct. 17 - vs. Notre Dame
- Oct. 24 - at UCF
- Oct. 31 - vs.
Arizona State
- Nov. 7 - at Utah
- Nov. 14 - vs. Baylor
- Nov. 21 - at Kansas
- Nov. 28 - vs.
Cincinnati
**Seven home games. ** That’s the first thing that jumps off the page.
For a program trying to gain traction in the Big 12, that’s a huge advantage. When BYU lost its 2026 matchup with Cal, it looked like the Cougars might be stuck with an uneven home-road split.
Instead, they end up with a full seven games in Provo - and one of them is against Notre Dame. That’s about as good a recovery as you could ask for.
BYU opens things up at home against Utah Tech, an in-state FCS opponent they last played in 2022 - a 52-26 win for the Cougars. It’s a manageable opener, a chance to work out the early-season kinks before jumping into the deep end.
And the deep end comes quick. BYU dives into Big 12 play in Week 2 against Arizona, marking an early start to conference action. That’s a shift in rhythm, and it’ll test the Cougars' readiness out of the gate.
Week 3 brings a trip to Fort Collins to face Colorado State. For the third straight year, BYU hits the road to face a Group of Five team in non-conference play. It’s a bit of an odd scheduling quirk, but it’s also a game the Cougars should expect to control if they’re serious about contending in the Big 12.
There’s only one bye week this year - September 26 - and while that may seem like a disadvantage, it likely played a role in securing that seventh home game. It’s a tradeoff the Cougars will take, especially considering how the rest of the schedule sets up.
One of the more interesting wrinkles? BYU will play on the first Saturday of October - General Conference weekend for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Historically, BYU has avoided playing on that Saturday, either scheduling a bye or moving games to weeknights. But with the Church no longer holding Saturday evening sessions, that tradition is evolving.
The Cougars will be in Fort Worth to face TCU on October 3, marking their first General Conference Saturday game since 2005.
Then comes a stretch that could define the season - and it’s one that heavily favors BYU in terms of travel. From October 4 through November 20, the Cougars leave the state of Utah just once, for a game at UCF on October 24.
That’s a six-week period with minimal travel, a luxury in the grind of a college football season. Home games against Iowa State, Notre Dame, Arizona State, and Baylor are all packed into that window, along with the road trip to Orlando and the Holy War.
Yes, the Holy War is back - but not in its usual season-ending slot. BYU will travel to Rice-Eccles Stadium to face Utah on November 7, four weeks before the regular season wraps. It’s a bit of a curveball, but it also gives the rivalry game a new kind of spotlight, potentially free from the chaos of rivalry week.
The Cougars finish the season with a road trip to Kansas and a home finale against Cincinnati. If BYU is in the Big 12 title hunt - and with the talent Kalani Sitake has returning, that’s a real possibility - that closing stretch could be crucial.
All in all, this is a schedule that gives BYU a legitimate shot to make noise. Seven home games, a favorable midseason travel setup, and the chance to host one of college football’s blue bloods in Notre Dame - it’s all on the table. Now it’s up to the Cougars to take advantage.