ESPN College GameDay coming to BYU for top 10 showdown with Notre Dame

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ESPN College GameDay is heading to Provo, Utah, for a highly anticipated top-10 matchup between No. 3 Notre Dame Fighting Irish and No. 8 BYU Cougars on Oct. 17.

The announcement adds to the excitement to a game that has become one of the biggest non-conference contests in the 2026 college football season. This is only the second time College GameDay has traveled to BYU. The show's first visit came on Oct. 24, 2009, making this year's return a significant milestone for the Cougars and their fans.

BYU enters the matchup undefeated at 5-0 after earning a 24-10 victory over lowa State on Friday night. Notre Dame improved to 6-0 with a dominant 58-7 win over Stanford on Saturday.

Both programs have established themselves among the nation's elite, which sets the stage for an exciting showdown at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The game will make history as the first meeting between two top-10 teams in Provo. Notre Dame's No. 3 ranking also makes the Fighting Irish the highest-ranked opponent to visit LaVell Edwards Stadium since No. 1 USC played there in 2004.

BYU defeated Notre Dame 20-17 in the 2004 season opener, giving the Cougars a memorable victory in the series of former independent teams. The Irish football program still has yet to join a conference. The programs have met nine times, with Notre Dame holding a 7-2 advantage in the all-time series. The Irish won the most recent meeting, defeating BYU 28-20 during the 2022 Shamrock Series game in Las Vegas.

Both teams have also enjoyed remarkable success over the past three seasons. BYU has compiled a 28-4 record since 2024, while Notre Dame has gone 30-4. Not bad for a rare non-conference affair in the middle of the season.

Notre Dame's explosive offense has been led by quarterback CJ Carr. The Heisman Trophy contender has stacked together efficient performances during the first half of the season. The Irish defense also responded strongly against Stanford after a less-than-convincing win over Bill Belichick and North Carolina.

The trip to Provo presents a significant challenge for Notre Dame, who has lost seven consecutive road games against top-10 opponents, with its last victory coming against Oklahoma 14 years ago. On the other hand, BYU is expected to enter the contest as an underdog for the first time this season, with early betting lines favoring Notre Dame by 12.5 points.

College GameDay will feature host Rece Davis alongside analysts Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Pat McAfee and Nick Saban, with additional reporting from ESPN's college football team. The three-hour broadcast is scheduled for Oct. 17 at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN, ESPNU, Disney+ and the ESPN App.

BYU has an opportunity to make a major statement against one of college football's most accomplished programs (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC).