BYU head coach Kalani Sitake will have his eyes on a possible College Football Playoff push in the 2026 season, and one of the biggest games on the Cougars’ schedule will come in Week 7 against Notre Dame. The game is part of a newly completed home-and-home series agreement between the two programs.
Kalani Sitake and BYU’s Playoff Heartbreak Adds Extra Fuel to Massive Notre Dame Clash
On Monday, On3’s Ari Wasserman and Andy Staples discussed the BYU and Notre Dame game.
“I think BYU is probably as sympathetic as anyone to Notre Dame because they played as an independent until they joined the Big 12 between the West and the Big 12,” Staples said. “So they’ve been through this trying to schedule this.”
The comments came as debate surrounding College Football Playoff expansion and selection controversies continues to dominate. The topic remains especially sensitive for BYU fans after the Cougars narrowly missed the expanded 12-team playoff field despite finishing the 2025 regular season with an 11-1 record.
The CFP committee ranked BYU behind multiple two-loss SEC programs and even a three-loss Alabama, and BYU’s lopsided loss against Texas Tech is justification for the lower ranking. The Cougars still had an opportunity to secure an automatic berth through the Big 12 Football Championship Game, but another loss to Texas Tech ended those hopes.
BYU was later left to compete for an at-large selection and ultimately found itself on the outside looking in despite having one of the nation’s best records. Many believed BYU had been unfairly treated compared to power-conference teams with worse records.
“I got a mini BYU avalanche thrown at me this week,” Wasserman said. “Based on clips that we had from our show, because obviously they are very pro. The expansion to 24 is because they might have had the strongest case for being mistreated the most by the CFP committee. And they would be in or would have been in.”
Notre Dame also understands the frustration of playoff disappointment, as the Irish were also among the highest-ranked teams to narrowly miss the CFP field last season. Beyond football, BYU and Notre Dame share several similarities as private, faith-based institutions with passionate fan bases.
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As for the game between the two schools in 2026, Notre Dame is set to make its third-ever appearance at LaVell Edwards Stadium, their first visit since 2004. BYU will then travel to South Bend in 2027 for its first road game against Notre Dame since 2013.
The Irish lead the series 7-2, so it will be more competitive and highlight Sitake and Marcus Freeman, two of the best leaders and coaches in college football. According to the PFSN College Football Playoff predictor, the Irish currently hold an 82.9% chance to make the playoff field, while BYU sits at 29.7%.
