BYU to Face Notre Dame in 2026, Make Return Trip in 2027

Oct 8, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish safety Brandon Joseph (16) attempts to tackle BYU Cougars wide receiver Kody Epps (0) in the fourth quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

BYU's non-conference schedule just got a whole lot more interesting. On Monday, BYU announced a home-and-home series with Notre Dame. The Cougars will host the Fighting Irish in Provo in 2026. They will make a return trip to South Bend in 2027.

NEW HOME & HOME SERIES ADDED

2026 - Provo
2027 - South Bend pic.twitter.com/YDDLaENWzW

— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) December 22, 2025

According to a release from BYU, the date of the matchup between BYU and Notre Dame will be announced at a later date. As it currently stands, BYU has an opening on September 12th. The Fighting Irish are scheduled to host Rice on that weekend. Notre Dame has various openings in October. So unless Notre Dame shuffles around its September schedule, BYU would likely take a break from Big 12 play to host Notre Dame.

“We are excited to announce this home-and-home series between BYU and Notre Dame for the 2026 and 2027 seasons,” BYU Director of Athletics Brian Santiago said in an official statement. “We have tremendous respect for Notre Dame, and appreciate Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua, who has been great to work with in arranging this series. These will be competitive football games, and will highlight Kalani Sitake and Marcus Freeman, two of the best leaders and coaches in college football. As private, faith-based institutions, BYU and Notre Dame share many common values, and this series provides an exceptional opportunity to showcase two world-class universities. It’s a matchup that will resonate strongly with Cougar fans and college football fans everywhere.”

The home game against Notre Dame gives BYU its third and final non-conference game of the 2026 schedule. It also gives BYU an opportunity to get a statement win after being discounted by the College Football Playoff committee the last two years.

Notre Dame has owed BYU a home game dating back several years. When BYU first went independent, the Cougars and the Fighting Irish agreed to a six-game series that included two games in Provo and four games in South Bend. BYU played the first two games in South Bend, but Notre Dame got out of the return trip to Provo.

Several years later, Notre Dame will finally make its way to Provo for a game. The Cougars will return to South Bend in 2027.

BYU last played Notre Dame in a neutral site game in Las Vegas in 2022. The Cougars' comeback attempt came up short in the game and Notre Dame walked away with a 28-20 victory. BYU had the ball in Notre Dame territory late in the fourth quarter, but Notre Dame stuffed BYU on a 4th & 1 to give the ball back to their offense.