Notre Dame’s defense has spent the first six games of 2026 looking every bit like one of the country’s best units. The numbers are loud: seventh in points allowed, first in yards allowed, fourth against the run, 14th against the pass and fourth in turnovers gained. Chris Ash has the Irish humming, with only a small hiccup against North Carolina standing out on the ledger.
Now comes a different kind of challenge. BYU brings a physical, efficient offense into Saturday night’s matchup, one that has done a little bit of everything well.
The Cougars rank first nationally in tackles for loss allowed, seventh in third-down conversion rate, eighth in yards per rush and 34th in runs of 20 yards or more. Under Bear Bachmeier, they’ve shown they can stay on schedule, lean on the ground game and finish drives with a hard-nosed style that travels.
If Notre Dame is going to control this one in Provo, Utah, the trench battle has to go its way first.
The defensive line sits at the center of it all. That might sound obvious, but this is the kind of game where obvious is true.
Notre Dame’s front has looked like the unit many expected in the preseason, with interior players holding firm against the run and edge pressure coming from Boubacar Traore, Bryce Young and a deep rotation around them. BYU, though, is built to test that strength.
Even with right tackle Andrew Gentry out, the Cougars have protected well and rarely let plays get blown up behind the line. They rank seventh in sacks allowed and first in tackles for loss allowed, which means the Irish front will have to win cleanly if it wants to dictate anything else.
Middle linebacker Drayk Bowen will be right in the middle of that fight. The senior captain has been what Notre Dame needed him to be this season, leading the team with 30 tackles and anchoring the defense from the inside out.
That job gets tougher against a BYU rushing attack that has kept rolling even without LJ Martin. Bowen’s night will also include a dangerous quarterback matchup.
Bachmeier, listed at 6-2 and 230 pounds, gives the Cougars another layer, and Bowen’s work will be part pre-snap organization, part collision control once the ball is snapped.
Christian Gray’s move into the slot has settled things down for Notre Dame’s secondary, and he’s quietly turned in a solid season there. The St.
Louis native, now in his first year playing inside after two seasons to the field, has handled the run well and avoided the kind of glaring touchdown bust that showed up in 2025. That calm could be tested quickly.
With Martin sidelined, freshman receiver Legend Glasker has become BYU’s most explosive threat. The Lehi, Utah, product leads the team with 19 catches for 378 yards and three touchdowns, averages 19.9 yards per reception and does his best work from the slot.
Gray is likely to see him early and often.
The safety group also enters the game with plenty to sort out. Brauntae Johnson has been out since getting hurt in the first half against Wisconsin, Adon Shuler has had a rough two weeks, Luke Talich has been the steadiest of the bunch and freshman Joey O’Brien has flashed when he’s been on the field.
The room has talent, but it has been an uneven stretch. Against BYU, the safeties have two jobs that matter most: helping shut down the run and keeping tight end Walker Lyons from becoming a real factor in the passing game.
That’s the shape of the night for Notre Dame’s defense. Win the line, keep Bachmeier contained, make Gray handle Glasker and don’t let Lyons stack onto the passing game. If the Irish do that, they give themselves a real shot to make their biggest defensive test yet look a lot like the first six weeks.
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DJ McKinney Could Give Notre Dame A Rare Edge At BYU
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For Notre Dame, that kind of familiarity can matter in a game where little edges often decide things. McKinney has been tested plenty in those meetings and has come away with useful reps, including an interception he returned for 25 yards in 2024, leaving the Irish with a player who knows the opponent in a way few others on the roster can claim. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Onye's Return Puts Notre Dame In A Tough BYU Decision
Jason Onyes potential return comes at a time when Notre Dame is trying to stabilize its defensive line for a tricky stretch, and the veteran linemans presence would be a welcome boost if he can get back into the mix against BYU. He has not played since the season opener because of injury, and defensive coordinator Chris Ash said the staff is working to get Onye cleared for both practice and game time while taking a measured approach.
For Notre Dame, the decision is about more than just one weeks rotation. Onye is in his final season with the Irish, so every chance to get him back on the field matters, but the staff is clearly determined not to rush him and create a new problem. Whether he is available this week will say plenty about how confident the program feels in his recovery and how carefully it wants to manage the rest of his season. [Read more 🡒]
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For Notre Dame, the setting is only part of the challenge. BYU will be missing top running back LJ Martin because of injury, while the Irish are carrying their own question marks with several key players listed as questionable. With College Football Playoff implications hanging over the night, every injury update and every possession figures to matter in a game that could shape the national conversation around both teams. [Read more 🡒]