BYU takes care of Notre Dame in Top 10 Showdown
October 18, 2026
BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier hit Walker Lyons with a six-yard touchdown pass with 1:47 left to go in the game, giving the Cougars a 28-24 lead over Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish drove all the way to the BYU four-yard line with four seconds remaining, but their game-winning touchdown pass missed its mark and BYU held on for the win. The Cougars move up five spots to No. 3 in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll while Notre Dame drops six places to No. 8. This was BYU’s highest-ranked opponent victory since 1990 when the Cougars beat No. 1 Miami (Fla.).
Five of the top seven ranked teams lost causing a massive reshuffling of the top 25. Georgia lost to Auburn, 27-24, causing the Bulldogs to drop to No. 4 and allowing Miami (Fla.) to take over the No. 1 spot. They are followed by Ohio State at No. 2, who handed Indiana a 19-15 loss and dropped the Hoosiers to No. 6. Texas Tech benefitted from all the upsets and jumped into the No. 5 spot.
Rank School (1st votes) Pts. Prev. Rec.
1 Miami (Fla.) (50) 1,791 3 6-0
2 Ohio State (13) 1,725 5 6-1
3 Brigham Young (10) 1,698 8 6-0
4 Georgia 1,469 1 6-1
5 Texas Tech 1,414 9 6-0
6 Indiana 1,378 4 6-1
7 Mississippi 1,371 10 5-1
8 Notre Dame 1,332 2 6-1
9 Utah 1,222 11 6-0
10 UCLA 1,206 12 6-0
11 Tennessee 1,193 14 6-1
12 Kentucky 979 17 6-1
13 Alabama 813 7 5-2
14 Iowa 807 16 5-1
15 Southern California 796 15 6-1
16 Houston 730 18 6-1
17 LSU 569 21 5-2
18 Texas 520 6 4-2
19 Wake Forest 514 23 6-1
20 SMU 458 22 5-1
21 Missouri 274 13 5-2
22 Boise State 266 24 5-1
23 Northwestern 256 NR 5-1
24 Florida 250 NR 5-2
25 Oregon 189 25 4-2
Dropped out: No. 19 Mississippi State (4-2); No. 20 Oklahoma State (4-2).
Others receiving votes: Arizona (5-1) 141; Oklahoma State (4-2) 87; James Madison (7-0) 80; Auburn (4-2) 55; Mississippi State (4-2) 32; Nebraska (5-2) 19; Oregon State (5-2) 17; New Mexico (5-1) 16; Texas-San Antonio (6-1) 13; Michigan (4-2) 10; North Dakota State (6-1) 8; Duke (4-2) 7; Wisconsin (4-2) 7; North Carolina (4-2) 5; Pittsburgh (5-2) 4; Air Force (5-1) 3; North Texas (4-2) 1.
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BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier hit Walker Lyons with a six-yard touchdown pass with 1:47 left to go in the game, giving the Cougars a 28-24 lead over Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish drove all the way to the BYU four-yard line with four seconds remaining, but their game-winning touchdown pass missed its mark and BYU held on for the win. The Cougars move up five spots to No. 3 in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll while Notre Dame drops six places to No. 8. This was BYU’s highest-ranked opponent victory since 1990 when the Cougars beat No. 1 Miami (Fla.).
Five of the top seven ranked teams lost causing a massive reshuffling of the top 25. Georgia lost to Auburn, 27-24, causing the Bulldogs to drop to No. 4 and allowing Miami (Fla.) to take over the No. 1 spot. They are followed by Ohio State at No. 2, who handed Indiana a 19-15 loss and dropped the Hoosiers to No. 6. Texas Tech benefitted from all the upsets and jumped into the No. 5 spot.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Pts. | Prev. | Rec. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miami (Fla.) (50) | 1,791 | 3 | 6-0 | |
| 2 | Ohio State (13) | 1,725 | 5 | 6-1 | |
| 3 | Brigham Young (10) | 1,698 | 8 | 6-0 | |
| 4 | Georgia | 1,469 | 1 | 6-1 | |
| 5 | Texas Tech | 1,414 | 9 | 6-0 | |
| 6 | Indiana | 1,378 | 4 | 6-1 | |
| 7 | Mississippi | 1,371 | 10 | 5-1 | |
| 8 | Notre Dame | 1,332 | 2 | 6-1 | |
| 9 | Utah | 1,222 | 11 | 6-0 | |
| 10 | UCLA | 1,206 | 12 | 6-0 | |
| 11 | Tennessee | 1,193 | 14 | 6-1 | |
| 12 | Kentucky | 979 | 17 | 6-1 | |
| 13 | Alabama | 813 | 7 | 5-2 | |
| 14 | Iowa | 807 | 16 | 5-1 | |
| 15 | Southern California | 796 | 15 | 6-1 | |
| 16 | Houston | 730 | 18 | 6-1 | |
| 17 | LSU | 569 | 21 | 5-2 | |
| 18 | Texas | 520 | 6 | 4-2 | |
| 19 | Wake Forest | 514 | 23 | 6-1 | |
| 20 | SMU | 458 | 22 | 5-1 | |
| 21 | Missouri | 274 | 13 | 5-2 | |
| 22 | Boise State | 266 | 24 | 5-1 | |
| 23 | Northwestern | 256 | NR | 5-1 | |
| 24 | Florida | 250 | NR | 5-2 | |
| 25 | Oregon | 189 | 25 | 4-2 |
Dropped out: No. 19 Mississippi State (4-2); No. 20 Oklahoma State (4-2).
Others receiving votes: Arizona (5-1) 141; Oklahoma State (4-2) 87; James Madison (7-0) 80; Auburn (4-2) 55; Mississippi State (4-2) 32; Nebraska (5-2) 19; Oregon State (5-2) 17; New Mexico (5-1) 16; Texas-San Antonio (6-1) 13; Michigan (4-2) 10; North Dakota State (6-1) 8; Duke (4-2) 7; Wisconsin (4-2) 7; North Carolina (4-2) 5; Pittsburgh (5-2) 4; Air Force (5-1) 3; North Texas (4-2) 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
