BYU is headed to Orlando carrying the kind of momentum that makes a schedule look a lot tougher in a hurry. The Cougars pulled off a 28-24 win over No. 2 Notre Dame, giving them their first victory over a top-10 team since 2018 and pushing them all the way up to No. 2 in the nation.
The finish came with some controversy attached. The Big 12 later confirmed that officials incorrectly ruled there was no time left after the final play, but BYU still walked away with the result after surviving a tense, back-and-forth game.
Notre Dame had its chances and kept punching. After falling behind 21-10 to start the second half, the Irish climbed back into it and briefly took the lead.
They also converted all four of their fourth-down tries and used two field goals to trim the gap to one touchdown in the second half. Even so, BYU’s defense did just enough to leave the offense needing only one more score to finish the job.
Bear Bachmeier was again the centerpiece for the Cougars. He threw for one touchdown, ran for two more and even caught a pass for a score, the first receiving touchdown of his career.
He also led BYU with 13 carries, though Preston Rex was the Cougars’ top rusher with 66 yards on 10 attempts. That was the first time a running back has led BYU in rushing yards since LJ Martin’s injury.
TCU also came away with a meaningful conference win, beating Baylor 17-6 for its first Big 12 victory. The Knights already know that Horned Frogs team well after beating it in the Bounce House in their Big 12 opener on Sep. 26.
That game turned into a battle through the air, with both defenses clamping down on the run and allowing just 87 rushing yards combined. TCU quarterback Jalen Craig handled that script better than Baylor’s DJ Lagway, throwing the ball more efficiently and for more yards. Jordan Dwyer and Ed Small did plenty of the damage downfield, combining for 13 catches, 241 of TCU’s 294 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Baylor moved the chains on four of six fourth-down attempts, but it never found the end zone. Rhett Armstrong accounted for the Bears’ only points with two field goals.
Another Big 12 foe, No. 11 Utah, had to sweat one out in Boulder before escaping with a 27-24 win over Colorado. The Buffaloes were blanked in the first half, yet they stayed close enough to take the lead in the third quarter after scoring a pair of touchdowns and a field goal.
Utah answered before the quarter ended, then struck again with 3:43 left in the fourth to create some breathing room. Colorado still added one more score, but the Utes held on by a field goal.
The numbers were close on the ground, though the approaches were different. Utah leaned on Wayshawn Parker and averaged 3.4 yards per carry, while Colorado made more of its chances at 5.8 yards per rush.
Through the air, Utah’s Devon Dampier went 24 for 41 and averaged 6.8 yards per completion, while Colorado’s Isaac Wilson completed 18 of 30 and averaged 8.5 yards per catch. Both quarterbacks threw two interceptions.
UCF’s regular season ends with a trip to Boulder on Nov. 28, while BYU is set to visit the Bounce House at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. The Knights are also scheduled to play Baylor in the Space Game on Oct. 30.
In Other News...
UCF Homecoming Just Got Bigger Than Any Bounce House Test Yet
UCFs bye week has been anything but quiet, with the Knights staring down a homecoming showcase against No. 2 BYU on Saturday afternoon at the Bounce House. The 3:30 p.m. kickoff on FOX already gives the matchup a big-stage feel, and for UCF it comes with an extra layer of significance as the highest-ranked home opponent the program has ever hosted.
The Knights are still hoping to get starting quarterback Alonza Barnett III and linebacker Lewis Carter back in the lineup after the break, which would obviously help against a BYU team that just beat Notre Dame and arrives with real national momentum. The Cougars, though, will be without senior tailback LJ Martin because of injury, adding another wrinkle to a game that has quickly become much more than a routine conference Saturday. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Backcourt Battle Just Got Tougher For Johnny Dawkins
The backcourt picture at UCF just changed in a meaningful way, and it gives Johnny Dawkins one more proven option to sort through before the season. Veteran guard Riley Kugel is headed back to campus after a successful legal challenge cleared the way for another college season, adding another experienced piece to a guard group that already features recent transfers Dior Johnson and Lewis Walker.
Kugel brings a different kind of resume to the rotation after spending time in the professional ranks, including limited NBA experience, and he was UCFs top scorer a year ago. For Dawkins, the appeal is obvious, but so is the logjam. With three players all vying for meaningful minutes in the same part of the floor, UCFs guard battle suddenly looks a lot more complicated than it did a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Just Got A Late Boost That Changes Everything For Johnny Dawkins
Riley Kugel is back in the fold for UCF men's basketball, giving Johnny Dawkins a late roster lift as the Knights move deeper into their preseason preparations. After going undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft and remaining unsigned following summer league, Kugel has rejoined the program and is expected to be part of the teams next stretch of work, a development that adds experience and talent to a group still taking shape.
Kugel's return comes after an Indiana Circuit Court judge granted him and other former college athletes an additional year of eligibility, a ruling that reopened the door for a second collegiate stop. Dawkins and several teammates have already shown clear excitement about having him back, and the timing matters with exhibition play approaching as UCF continues sorting out roles and lineup options. [Read more 🡒]