Kalani Sitake’s BYU and Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame will clash this season, and the game is already billed as a blockbuster. The game might also strengthen the victor’s chances to make the College Football Playoff, something both teams missed last season. Now, there is a voice emerging to make the series permanent.
Why Ari Wasserman Argues for a Permanent BYU vs. Notre Dame Rivalry
Ari Wasserman appeared on a recent episode of “Andy & Ari On3” and argued that the USC Trojans’ trajectory shouldn’t crowd out the Cougars in the Notre Dame schedule.
He said, “I think that the religious rivalry thing is really cool, you know, and it’s different faiths and but very proud institutions that are very important about propping up their faith. Having that rivalry between two teams that are, you know, frankly very far away but also very different. But also share one thing in common which is they want to be excellent in football.”
Wasserman emphasizes that Notre Dame’s unique positioning allows them the scheduling gymnastics to make this happen. “Notre Dame, given the situation that they’re in, being independent and not having an entire season already given to them… I don’t think that getting USC back on track should necessarily prohibit this from happening,” Wasserman said, concluding that a permanent series “only can help BYU.”
Should Notre Dame make BYU a permanent annual opponent?@AndyStaples explains to @AriWasserman why the answer is yes, @BGInewshttps://t.co/nM7FDv0OeC pic.twitter.com/nJBpfvbj9u
— Andy & Ari On3 (@AndyAriOn3) May 19, 2026
Both programs have treated the 2026 offseason as a crucial developmental window, reloading their rosters to handle the physical demands of independent and power-conference football.
Sitake has aggressively utilized the transfer portal and the program’s unique returned-missionary pipeline to bolster size. The Cougars secured massive offensive line depth with portal additions like Zak Yamauchi (Stanford) and Paki Finau (Washington) to protect their quarterback room.
In addition, the receiving corps got a major length upgrade by landing 6-foot-6 weapon Kyler Kasper from Oregon. Defensively, the team welcomes Kelly Poppinga as the new defensive coordinator, aiming to instill a more aggressive, high-turnover identity.
Meanwhile, the Fighting Irish focused heavily on elite defensive retention and offensive skill retooling. The 2026 spring roster showcases a terrifying linebacker corps anchored by junior star Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and senior leader Jaylen Sneed.
For Notre Dame, the expectation is nothing less than a deep College Football Playoff run. Operating outside of a conference structure means their strength of schedule is paramount.
For BYU, the 2026 campaign is about establishing permanent residency in the upper tier of the expanded Big 12. A permanent series against Notre Dame elevates BYU’s national television footprint and serves as a major recruiting carrot.
Had both teams played each other last season, the victor would have undoubtedly claimed a definitive spot in the playoffs, given the rest of the schedule panned out the same way. Maybe it could happen this season.
