ISD Game Predictions: BYU
It’s Friday again, and that mean game prediction time once again. The Irish are trying to log their third straight win, and BYU is looking for “revenge” for some reason. Which team comes out on top?
Mike Frank
The Cougars are getting healthier, and they’ve found ways to win close games. Beating the Irish would certainly be a feather in their cap. The Irish are coming off a bye week, and some ND teams in the past have struggled to get up to game speed in the early going after a bye week. Could we have a tighter game then some think?
For me, like all games, this will come down to the O-line and how well they play. If ND can run the ball well, which they should be able to do, they’ll control this game. If they struggle, it’s going to be another nail biter.
I think it takes a quarter to get going on offense, but eventually Notre Dame pulls away. I believe the defense will play well and create their first turnover of the year!
Notre Dame 34, BYU 23
Andrew Mentock
I predicted that Notre Dame would lose to BYU prior to the season. I'm going to flip my pick. Notre Dame will defeat BYU, albeit in a close game.
The Irish will stymie Cougar quarterback Jaren Hall thanks to stellar play from its defensive line. The offense will struggle at times but still do just enough for the Irish to pull out a victory over a top-20 team.
Notre Dame 28, BYU 27
Matt Freeman
"Hey guys, you ready to let the dogs out?"
Notre Dame is fresh off a bye week and the Cougars won't be sneaking up on them. This game will determine a lot as the Irish look to prove they can run the ball and take the will of teams in the second half.
If Notre Dame's offense can get rolling, the Irish should have a three-game winning streak and continue its success in the Shamrock Series.
BYU's offense will cause some problems, but Brandon Joseph comes up with two interceptions to seal the deal.
Notre Dame 31, BYU 20
Greg Flammang
Notre Dame is coming off of their most complete game offensively against North Carolina which saw the running game get ignited and all three running backs make major contributions. The Irish needed to see evidence the offensive line was making big strides, and they got it against the Tar Heels. As the saying goes, the lines travel, and I expect Notre Dame to be able to assert themselves similarly against a Cougar defense that looked poor against Oregon and vulnerable in their other contests. If a team can’t stop Notre Dame running, they will have problems.
Defensively, BYU has a strong quarterback and receiving corps, but this isn’t anything new to the Notre Dame defense in 2022. BYU is not a strong running team to supplement the passing game, which will allow the defense to commit numbers to the back end. The Irish will get to quarterback Jaren Hall enough to slow him down, as they did against Drake Maye.
Notre Dame 38, BYU 20
Christian McCollum
This one isn't quite as close as the final score as the Irish establish a dominant running attack to control the clock and the game as a whole.
Audric Estime delivers his most bruising performance to date for Notre Dame, rushing for almost 150 yards and a pair of scores. Drew Pyne connects with Michael Mayer for a second-half touchdown to put the game out of reach.
BYU quarterback Jaren Hall shows the Irish defense - and the nation - why he's being considered a true NFL prospect and gets the Cougars offense going in the first half, but Al Golden's unit tightens up in the second half and even forces a few turnovers.
Notre Dame 27, BYU 17
Jamie Uyeyama
BYU is no different than many other teams who are bunched together in a group of "pretty good, but flawed". They have a quality quarterback and some very talented receivers, but their running game has been underwhelming and their defense has looked soft at times.
I like this matchup for Notre Dame because I think they'll have success running the football and I expect to see another big day for the running backs. That's going to allow the Irish to control the game.
The defense will have to keep the explosive passing plays to a minimum, but I see them getting BYU into 3rd and long often and the pass rush eventually hitting home. BYU's struggles in the kicking game don't give me confidence that they can win a tight game either.
Notre Dame 31, BYU 24