For Notre Dame and BYU, Saturday night in Provo is more than a Top 10 showdown. It’s also a reminder that recruiting stars only tell part of the story.
The Irish are going west to face the Cougars in LaVell Edwards Stadium for the first time since 2004, and Notre Dame enters as a double-digit favorite. But BYU’s roster has plenty of players who have turned modest recruiting labels into real production, which is exactly what makes this matchup so interesting from a personnel standpoint.
Both teams offer the same basic lesson: some of their best performers were barely noticed as high school prospects, while a few of the most highly rated recruits are not full-time starters. That split shows up all over this game, from the perimeter to the trenches.
On Notre Dame’s side, the offense gets one of the sharper recruiting advantages on the slate. Jaden Greathouse (No. 158), one of the Irish’s better-ranked prep recruits, is in line for a matchup with BYU cornerback Evan Johnson (No. 1775), who came out of high school as a three-star but has become one of the Big 12’s better defensive backs. Another BYU corner, Therrian Alexander (No. 1012), fits the same pattern: not a flashy recruiting name, but a player who has clearly outperformed that label.
The most eye-catching battle may come on the edge, where BYU defensive end Tausili Akana (No. 131) will be lined up against Notre Dame’s tackles, right tackle Guerby Lambert (No. 42) and left tackle Will Black (No. 17). That’s a straight-up “best on best” test in the trenches.
And even when the recruiting numbers look light, BYU keeps finding production. California transfer linebacker Cade Uluave (No. 926), a three-star coming out of high school, leads the team in tackles.
Defensive tackle Keanu Tanuvasa (No. 780) has also been a force inside over the last couple of weeks. The rankings may favor Notre Dame, but the Irish still have to deal with real players.
The same story shows up when BYU has the ball. Quarterback Bear Bachmeier (No. 451) was a three-star recruit before transferring to BYU ahead of the 2025 season, and now the 6-2, 230-pound passer is 17-2 as a starter and has become one of the Big 12’s top quarterbacks.
BYU is not at full strength, though. Running back LJ Martin (No. 420), one of the best individual backs on Notre Dame’s regular-season schedule, is out.
Right tackle Andrew Gentry (No. 63), BYU’s highest ranked offensive recruit in the starting lineup, is also sidelined after a lower body injury against Colorado State and is expected to miss another few weeks.
Even without them, the Cougars still bring a challenge up front. The interior line matchup gives Notre Dame a series of carryover battles between players who have blown past their original recruiting grades.
For the Irish, Armel Mukam (No. 469), Francis Brewu (No.
470), Tionne Gray (No. 457) and Elijah Hughes (No. 1029) will line up against BYU center Bruce Mitchell (No. 2341), left guard Sonny Makasini (No. 1395) and right guard Kyle Sfarcioc (unranked). Every one of those seven players has exceeded his high school projection.
The larger recruiting picture still tilts toward Notre Dame. Over the last five cycles in the 247 Composite Rankings, the Irish have checked in at No. 5 for 2026, No. 12 for 2025, No. 9 for 2024, No. 12 for 2023 and No. 7 for 2022.
BYU’s class rankings over that same span were No. 21, No.
42, No. 44, No. 58 and No.
Advantage: Notre Dame.
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Notre Dame Defense Faces One Big Question Entering BYU Trip
Notre Dames defense could get a meaningful boost heading into its trip to BYU, with linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa no longer on the injury report and expected back in the mix. The Irish also have some movement in the front seven and secondary, as defensive tackle Jason Onye has been upgraded to questionable after sitting out more than five games with a left ankle injury, while cornerback Leonard Moore remains listed as questionable for the matchup.
Brauntae Johnson is still working his way back from foot surgery and is expected to return around November, leaving Notre Dame with a few moving parts as it prepares for one of the more demanding road environments on its schedule. For a defense that has already had to manage injuries at multiple levels, the key question now is how much of that depth can be restored in time for Saturday and how quickly the group can settle in once it gets there. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Fans May Need To Track The Other Carr In Michigan
The family connection is what makes this one worth a second look for Notre Dame fans, even if the immediate football stakes remain on the Michigan side. Kyle Whittingham said Bryce Underwood is still the Wolverines starting quarterback, but he also noted that Tommy Carr has earned meaningful practice work and could get into games if it helps Michigan in the moment.
Tommy Carr has barely seen the field so far, with his lone notable action coming in garbage time against UTEP. Still, the surname alone ties this story back to South Bend, where his brother CJ Carr is Notre Dames starting quarterback, and both are grandsons of former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr. That makes any movement on the other sideline a small but intriguing subplot for Irish followers who will keep an eye on how Michigan handles the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Faces A Program Defining Stage Against Notre Dame
BYUs trip to Notre Dame carries the kind of weight that can change the way a program is viewed for a long time. The matchup is part of a busy college football weekend loaded with high-end games, but this one stands out because of what it means for the Cougars against a traditional power. Notre Dame brings the backdrop, the history and the expectation that comes with being the standard in games like this.
For BYU, the stage is less about the ranking and more about the opportunity to answer questions that only a game like this can settle. The broader slate around it, including Indiana-Ohio State, UCLA-Wisconsin and Alabama-Tennessee, gives the weekend plenty of marquee appeal, but few teams face as much to gain from the spotlight as BYU. A result here would resonate well beyond one Saturday and could shape how the rest of the season is judged. [Read more 🡒]