Notre Dame
Fighting Irish
6-0
Spread
-10.5
NCAAF Predictions
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs BYU Cougars Predictions
Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 7:30pm EST
@
BYU
Cougars
5-0
Spread
+10.5
50%
50%
Spread
Notre Dame Fighting Irish -10.5
BYU Cougars +10.5
Moneyline
Notre Dame Fighting Irish -410
BYU Cougars +320
Total
Over 46.5 (-115)
Under 46.5 (-105)
Professional Picks
4 listed
Professional Picks On This Game
Casper Kohke
Spread pick
Wes Salvato
Total pick
Jason Manning
Spread pick
Robert Downes
Spread pick
Notre Dame vs. BYU Prediction: Irish Favored, but Pass at -10.5
Analysis updated October 17, 2026 at 9:19 AM CDT
Notre Dame is the more likely winner, while BYU's deliberate pace could make an 11-point margin harder to reach.
BYU's pace matters at this spread
Notre Dame is favored by 10.5 points at unbeaten BYU, but the Cougars play slowly enough to reduce the favorite's chances to pull away. KSL Sports, a Utah sports outlet, reports that BYU averages 31.5 seconds per play, which ranks 135th nationally. Fewer possessions would give Notre Dame less time to build the 11-point margin needed to cover.
BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier accounted for 438 yards in last week's 24-10 win over Iowa State, passing for 329 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 109 yards on nine carries. The Cougars will need him again because FOX Sports reports that running back LJ Martin is out four to six weeks with a lower-body injury. Martin also missed the Iowa State game.
Why Notre Dame should win
Notre Dame enters 6-0 after beating Stanford 58-7, while BYU is 5-0. The Irish led Stanford 37-0 at halftime as Jonaz Walton rushed for 181 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. CJ Carr added three touchdown passes.
KSL Sports ranks Notre Dame third nationally in offensive success rate and reports that Carr has thrown only one interception this season. That efficiency makes the Irish the likelier winner, but the available evidence doesn't establish that they should cover a double-digit road spread.
Odds and betting pick
SportsPicksForum lists Notre Dame at -410 on the moneyline and -10.5 against the spread. BYU is +320 and +10.5. The total is 46.5, with the over at -115 and the under at -105.
The moneyline asks too much for a road favorite facing an unbeaten opponent, while the spread requires Notre Dame to overcome BYU's possession-limiting pace. With no confirmed starters and little team-wide statistical information available, the betting pick is Pass.
Pick
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Confidence
low
Betting lean
Pass