Notre Dame’s 16-game winning streak is gone, and the loss to BYU had the kind of finish that lingers. The Irish rallied from a 21-10 halftime deficit, grabbed a 24-21 lead late, and still walked off with a 28-24 defeat after BYU answered and Notre Dame’s last drive came up eight yards short.
Even in a loss like that, a few Irish players left a mark.
Jaden Greathouse was the biggest reason Notre Dame had a shot to steal it at the end. The senior finally became a true centerpiece of the passing game and turned in a career night, catching eight passes for 125 yards. That yardage total was only three shy of his best, which came in the 2024 national championship game against Ohio State.
Greathouse’s impact showed up all over the field. His 24-yard catch on a slot fade in the second quarter jump-started a drive that stalled inside the 5-yard line. He also opened up Notre Dame’s first scoring possession of the second half, then later delivered the game’s biggest explosive play when he slipped behind the defense for a 38-yard grab that helped set up the go-ahead touchdown.
He was at his best when the pressure was highest. On the final drive, Greathouse hauled in a contested catch on 4th-and-3 to keep the Irish alive, then followed it with a 24-yard diving grab after running a sharp route to move Notre Dame into scoring range.
He was the target on the final snap too, with the drive ending on a missed pass interference call in his favor. Greathouse also did real work in the run game, including a block that helped spring Nolan James Jr. for a 26-yard gain.
On a night when the defense had too much to handle, Luke Talich was one of the few constants. The senior safety posted a career-high eight tackles and spent the game flying downhill, helping Notre Dame slow BYU’s run game. The Irish had trouble early against BYU’s tight ends, but once they moved Talich into coverage on Walker Lyons, that matchup changed; Lyons was shut down after the adjustment.
Talich has been Notre Dame’s most reliable safety this season, and this was another example of why. He also showed up on special teams in a big moment, getting in on BYU’s fake punt in the third quarter.
On special teams, kicker Spencer Porath also earned mention.
In Other News...
Notre Dames BYU Loss Just Got Even More Infuriating
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The conference said it will review its end-of-game officiating process after the incident, a step that may matter less to the Irish than the result already does. In a tight game, one second is more than a technicality, and the acknowledgment only adds to the frustration over how it ended. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Just Got A Painful Reminder About Its Biggest Problem
Notre Dame got a stark reminder in Provo that the margin for error remains slim, even when the offense does enough to keep the game alive. At LaVell Edwards Stadium, the Irish spent most of the night chasing Brigham Young before briefly grabbing the lead late, only to watch the Cougars answer with under two minutes left in a 28-24 loss.
The result fit a familiar frustration for Notre Dame, which again found itself in a tight game where one stop, one clean sequence or one timely play could have changed the outcome. A significant defensive ejection added to the tension, and the late comeback bid had the kind of urgency the Irish needed, but not quite enough finish to turn it into a road win. [Read more 🡒]
Marcus Freeman Addresses What Went Wrong In Notre Dame's Costly Loss
Marcus Freeman spent his postgame time going straight to the two areas that hurt Notre Dame most in a costly loss to BYU: defensive discipline and red-zone execution. The defeat snapped the Irish's 16-game winning streak, and Freeman pointed to the problems BYU's misdirection offense created while also acknowledging that Notre Dame left points on the field with missed chances near the goal line.
Freeman also noted the adjustments the Irish tried to make after halftime, but the broader concern remains the same one that follows any tight loss to a quality opponent: execution in critical moments. For Notre Dame, the answer is not about effort or intent as much as cleaning up the details that determine whether a promising drive becomes a field goal, a touchdown or nothing at all. [Read more 🡒]