Michael Caterina, USA TODAY Sports
Oct 12, 2026 9:00 AM
Chasing their first road win over a top-ten opponent since 2012, the Irish head to Provo to battle undefeated BYU in a high-stakes playoff pivot point.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has done a lot of great things during his tenure. He's ended their major bowl win drought, turned around their recruiting efforts and has turned them into a force along the trail. Freeman has also ripped off 16 straight double-digit wins dating back to last season. But one thing he's failed to do is have that level of success against ranked teams on the road. As a matter of fact, getting wins on the road against Top 10 opponents is something the Irish haven't done since 2012.
This upcoming weekend, the Irish travel out west to Provo, Utah to take on the 8th-ranked BYU Cougars who are seemingly picking up where they left off from last season. This will be Notre Dame's biggest test of the season thus far and it comes with major implications for the playoffs and a gauge to wear the Irish are at as a program.
It's been nearly 14 years since Notre Dame's last win over a Top 10 team on the road. Their last victory was over the Oklahoma Sooners in 2012, but since, they are 0-7 in true road games against Top 10 opponents. Obviously their mass amounts of success in the 2024 College Football Playoffs doesn't take into account 'true' road games.
As for Freeman and the Irish, they haven't faired all too well against ranked teams in general in true road game affairs. Since the start of his tenure, Freeman is 2-4 in true road games away from Notre Dame Stadium. In 2022, they lost to Ohio State and USC on the road, both teams were ranked in the Top 10. In 2023, they lost on the road to Louisville who was the No. 25 team in the country at the time they played. Then, in 2025, they lost to Miami on the road to kick off the season; the Hurricanes were ranked 10th in the country at the time.
Their only ranked wins in true road contests under Freeman came in 2023 against Duke who was the 17th ranked team in the country at the time and against Texas A&M to kick off the 2024 season. The Aggies were ranked 20th in the country at the time of their matchup in Week 1 of the 2024 college football season.
This is going to be a major test for Freeman and the Irish despite what some may want you to believe. Look past the logo on the helmet and the names on the jerseys. BYU is a really good football team and there's a reason they're in contention to win their conference, make the 12-team College Football Playoffs and are undefeated through the first seven weeks of the college football season.
Freeman has slain a lot of dragons and exorcised a lot of demons during his time in South Bend, but this is one hurdle he has yet to get over. Notre Dame is one of the premier favorites in college football to make the 2026 CFP and go on a run to the national title game, ending their near 40-year championship drought. In order to do so, they will have to beat a really good BYU team in Provo Saturday night.
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