Notre Dame vs BYU prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 6, Saturday, October 8
Notre Dame vs BYU How To Watch
Date: Saturday, October 8
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, NV
How To Watch: NBC/Peacock
Record: Notre Dame (2-2), BYU (4-1)
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Notre Dame vs BYU Game Preview
Why BYU Will Win
This is where the lines have to kick in.
The BYU ground game has been fine. It hasn’t been anything amazing since rolling on USF like everyone does, but it’s been … fine. The passing game has been strong, the offense is working, but this is when this program tends to step up and shine with steady play up front.
Don’t get into a twist over the 41-20 loss at Oregon – that might be the best team in the Pac-12 – and don’t be too concerned about the lackluster performances against Wyoming and Utah State.
The defense line won’t get gouged, and the offensive line should hold up and get just enough out of the running game to matter.
The Cougars don’t turn the ball over, the secondary has been terrific, and Notre Dame’s offense – while improved – is still nothing to worry about.
The Irish aren’t running on BYU like they did against North Carolina.
Back to the turnover thing, Notre Dame has generated one more turnover this season than you have.
However …
Why Notre Dame Will Win
Are the BYU lines really playing that well?
The run defense hasn’t been anything consistently amazing, and the pass rush hasn’t been there. There’s talent and depth, and size isn’t an issue, but the line has been a bit hit-or-miss.
The offensive front personnel-wise is among the best BYU has had in years, but the pass protection has been just okay and the running game hasn’t blasted away against anyone but USF and Wyoming.
On the other side, the Notre Dame defensive front has picked it up.
It was good enough against Ohio State – that 21-10 loss now looks far, far better than it did at the time – and the pass rush should be enough to bother BYU QB Jaren Hall and make him rush just a wee bit.
Offensively, yeah, Notre Dame is better than it was over the first two weeks. Drew Pyne is getting things moving, the ground game went off on North Carolina, and BYU’s secondary might have a few problems.
Pyne is hitting over 70% of his throws over the last two games. BYU’s defense is solid overall, but the pass defense struggled against Oregon’s Bo Nix and allowed too many short-range passes to Baylor’s Blake Shapen.
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What’s Going To Happen
It’s going to be a fun game.
Notre Dame stepped up the smack with a fun offseason “The Hangover” themed video, and now it needs to back it up with a win to get the season rolling.
The 0-2 start was a killer, but win this, and with Stanford and UNLV up next the team will be on a run before dealing with Syracuse on the road and Clemson at home.
BYU needs this with Arkansas up next, but if it can win impressively and take down the Hogs in Provo, look out – it might be smooth sailing the rest of the way for an 11-1 season.
Can the BYU defense that showed up in the win over Baylor get it done against an Irish attack with two weeks off to rest up? Yeah, and this is where Hall becomes more of a national name.
Notre Dame will have its chances, but Hall will be solid on third downs with an efficient day to pull this off.
Notre Dame vs BYU Prediction, Line
BYU 27, Notre Dame 23
Line: Notre Dame -3.5, o/u: 51
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Notre Dame vs BYU Must See Rating (out of 5): 4
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