BYU Outperforming Its Budget As Notre Dame Showdown Arrives

BYU was presented with a unique opportunity last December, and it was too good for the Cougars to pass up. As Notre Dame and USC failed to agree on continuing their annual rivalry game in 2026 and 2027, the Irish needed an opponent to fill that void. Notre Dame reached out to BYU, and the offer was happily accepted. 

The first matchup of the home-and-home, Saturday night in Provo, Utah, will be historic for BYU’s program. It’s the first top-10-ranked matchup in the history of LaVell Edwards Stadium. Notre Dame is ranked No. 2 in the current AP Top 25 poll, and BYU is ranked No. 8. ESPN’s College GameDay is coming to BYU’s campus for the first time since 2009. 

“They’re the ones that reached out and wanted this game,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said to local media this week. “It’d be crazy for us to turn it down. And so when they reached out and wanted this series and wanted this game, I thought that was a huge opportunity for us to play them.” 

The opportunity for BYU to notch a top-five win, which would be its first since 2009—and simultaneously strengthen its College Football Playoff résumé—is a big enough opportunity in itself. There’s also an opportunity for BYU to showcase itself nationally, shortly after receiving a sizable investment in football. 

Last week, BYU and in-state investment firm PV3 Enterprises announced a long-term partnership that includes the largest financial commitment in the history of the Cougars’ athletic program. Included in the agreement are naming rights to the football surface in LaVell Edwards Stadium, a large investment in BYU’s overall football facilities, and an NIL initiative for select football players and other athletes on campus. 

Sitake has been vocal about garnering more financial support for the Cougars’ program, and this latest deal represents a step in that direction. On the field, BYU has an opportunity to make a statement and notch a signature win that would validate the program’s progress over the last few years. These two programs last met in 2022, a 28–20 Notre Dame win. 

“For me, it’s exciting to see how we match up,” Sitake said. “I know a lot of people are wondering how the matchup is going to go, and I feel good about our chances. We’re a different program than we were back then, and so are they. So now we can kind of match up and play this game. 

“And if they want to keep playing this game, I would love to keep doing it as much as possible.”

A Push for More Resources 

Sitake, now in his 11th season as head coach, has had BYU on an upward trajectory over the past several years. Since 2020, the Cougars have recorded four double-digit-win seasons and are tied for the sixth-most wins (62) in college football over that time, trailing only Georgia, Alabama, Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Oregon. Including this year’s 5–0 start, BYU is tied with Michigan. However, Sitake has been vocal about the resources gap between BYU and its peers in the win column. 

According to The Athletic’s college football budget estimate report, BYU is around the 40th-most expensive roster in college football, estimated at around $20 million to $25 million. That figure is a little bit above the Big 12’s estimated average of $18 million to $22 million, but on a national level, the program is outperforming its budget. 

Within its conference, BYU’s biggest on-field competitor is Texas Tech, whose $38 million to $42 million projection is in the top 10 nationally. Texas Tech soundly beat BYU twice last season by an average of 24.5 points per game. 

In some ways, there’s been investment in Sitake. He signed a contract extension worth $9 million to $9.5 million per year, making him the 15th-highest-paid coach in the country. Elsewhere, there’s been a commitment from large supporters such as cofounder and CEO of Crumbl Jason McGowan, who played a key role in Sitake’s extension when there were rumors of him potentially leaving BYU for Penn State last year. 

Still, Sitake has recently expressed a desire for more overall resources for the program. BYU is a private school, so its spending is not publicly known. The Big 12’s leaders in spending include Utah, Texas Tech, Colorado, Oklahoma State, and Arizona. The recent partnership with PV3 Enterprises will help bridge the gap. 

“We’ve been given the challenge of doing the most with the least,” Sitake told Cougar Sports Media in August. “The frustrating part is we‘ve done so much but we can do more at a faster rate. I’m not going to be making high demands. These are very simple demands of people that our opponents have [in the Big 12]—and not even Texas Tech, the others. So if we can get an even playing field with that stuff, then I should be able to do more.”

Looking Ahead to Saturday 

BYU is around a 10.5–11.5-point underdog Saturday, according to multiple sportsbooks. Upsetting the Irish will be an uphill climb, as the Cougars will be without one of their top players in running back LJ Martin. Meanwhile, Notre Dame has been impressive through the first half of the season, winning its first six games by an average of 33 points. 

“This week’s a different beast, obviously,” Sitake said. “[Notre Dame] is ranked No. 2 for a reason. They could easily be No. 1. I’ve been really impressed with their program.” 

As far as the future, Sitake stopped short of announcing any future meetings past 2027, but he is open to it. He also emphasized that BYU would like to continue to schedule marquee nonconference games across the country. 

“I’m looking forward to not just this game this year, but also returning to South Bend and playing that game, too,” Sitake said. “So yeah, if any of those teams out there that want to play a game, let us know, man. We’re open for business.”