When looking at the Notre Dame football schedule, most analysts have circled the November Miami game in bright, bold red. However, another game about a month earlier could be a problem for the Fighting Irish. It could be especially problematic, considering that BYU has a habit of pulling off big upsets in Provo.
Former Cougar Heisman winner Ty Detmer, for one, is excited to see if his team can pull off one heck of an upset this fall. He also hopes that when Marcus Freeman and Co. come to town, they’re the top-ranked team in the country.
“It would be awesome. There is no better place to take down a No. 1 than in Provo,” Detmer told the “Y’s Guys” livestream show this week. “I think you get the grass, the altitude and the atmosphere — it will be rocking for sure if that’s the case. Either way it’s going to be a packed house and an exciting night. If they are both undefeated and Notre Dame is No. 1, look out! Anything can happen in Provo.”
Detmer understands more than most just how hard it can be for a No. 1 team to play BYU in its home stadium. He was leading the Cougars when then No. 1 Miami came to Provo in 1990. Detmer torched the Hurricanes’ highly touted defense for 406 yards passing and three touchdowns. Those statistics and the 28-21 victory over the top-ranked team launched his Heisman campaign. Then he won the premier trophy in college football.
Ty Detmer warns Notre Dame football about BYU’s upset potential in Provo
It’s not as though BYU is anything close to a cupcake for Notre Dame. It’s hardly far-fetched for the quarterback great to think there’s a chance they can pull off the win. Last season, BYU was very close to making the playoffs until they got blown out in the Big 12 title game by Texas Tech.
The Cougars finished the season with an 11-2 record. The only team to beat them was the Red Raiders, twice. It seems likely BYU will be 5-0 on October 17 when Notre Dame hits town. A schedule of Utah Tech, Arizona, Colorado State, TCU, and Iowa State hardly includes juggernauts. That slate could, in fact, give BYU the confidence it needs to stage a bit of an upset.
Wisconsin, Rice, Michigan State, Purdue, North Carolina, and Stanford are also not a particularly rough lineup for Notre Dame. The most likely scenario will be that the Irish will come into their game against the Cougars with a 6-0 record.
The winner of this game gets to keep their hopes of a College Football Playoff appearance alive. The loser takes a hit. It’s a no-brainer that Notre Dame would take a bigger hit since they’re not in a Big 12 that offers them a chance at a conference title.
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