Pinned
Link copied
Get ready for an FBS Independents battle as the BYU Cougars and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will face off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday at Allegiant Stadium. These two teams seek to continue their momentum from their previous wins.
It was all tied up 17-17 at the half for BYU and the Utah State Aggies last Thursday, but the Cougars stepped up in the second half for a 38-26 win. BYU QB Jaren Hall was slinging it as he passed for three TDs and 273 yards on 27 attempts.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame turned the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels into a track meet and took the gold after outgaining them 576 yards to 367. The Fighting Irish beat UNC 45-32 two weeks ago. RB Audric Estime and QB Drew Pyne were among the main playmakers for Notre Dame as the former rushed for two TDs and 134 yards on 17 carries and the latter passed for three TDs and 289 yards on 34 attempts. That nimble footwork stands out as the first time Estime has hit the 100-yard rushing mark this season. Estime's sharp performance also set his single-game rushing touchdown high for the season.
BYU is expected to lose this next one by 3.5. Now might not be the best time to take the Cougars against the spread since they've let down bettors for the past three consecutive games.
The wins brought BYU up to 4-1 and the Fighting Irish to 2-2. A pair of defensive stats to keep in the back of your head while watching: BYU comes into the game boasting the 18th fewest passing yards allowed per game in the nation at 175.6. As for Notre Dame, they rank 13th in the nation when it comes to rushing touchdowns allowed, with only three on the season.
