In 2022, Notre Dame treated a neutral-site game in Las Vegas as its home game, keeping most of the revenue. BYU did not forget that night in Sin City. Now the two are back together for 2026 and 2027, and both sides say they want to keep going. That wish lines up with Marcus Freeman’s plan to protect Notre Dame’s future as an independent.

BYU’s place in the Big 12 gives Notre Dame a steady high-major opponent without joining a conference. The playoff committee studies strength of schedule, and a recurring tie with a rising Big 12 program helps the Irish show a reliable path into the field while staying independent.

At Big 12 media days, BYU athletic director Brian Santiago said both schools see room to grow the relationship after 2027. He listed football as the starting point, then noted interest in matchups across other sports. The idea is not a signed deal yet, but both sides have talked about building something bigger.

The question now is whether old scheduling friction could slow that plan. The programs first agreed to a six-game run in 2010. Notre Dame secured more home dates in South Bend, while BYU got two in Provo.

Notre Dame later adjusted its nonconference plan as it aligned parts of its schedule with the ACC, which changed how future games with BYU would be slotted. That strained ties with BYU, and the planned home game in Provo eventually moved to Las Vegas. The 2022 campaign was the final matchup between the two, with the Irish leading the all-time series 7-2 (including the 2012 and 2013 vacated wins).

From BYU’s side, the neutral-site arrangement felt unbalanced, because the Irish treated the Las Vegas game as a home contest and kept most of the revenue. Their relationship soured. Now that the issue has been resolved, Freeman’s program plans to utilize BYU to climb the stairs to a secure future are clearly visible.

The reason behind Notre Dame’s scheduling vision

This season, USC wants to make its schedule title-favoring, and that’s why the Trojans took a bold decision. After USC decided to end its long-standing rivalry with Notre Dame, the Irish needed one for its 2026 schedule. At the same time, BYU took a hit as California canceled its series against the Cougars. That’s when ND and BYU came to the two-game series agreement with equal opportunity.

“We have tremendous respect for Notre Dame and appreciate Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua, who has been great to work with in arranging this series,” wrote BYU AD Brian Santiago in a press release.

“These will be competitive football games and will highlight Kalani Sitake and Marcus Freeman, two of the best leaders and coaches in college football. As private, faith-based institutions, BYU and Notre Dame share many common values, and this series provides an exceptional opportunity to showcase two world-class universities. It’s a matchup that will resonate strongly with Cougar fans and college football fans everywhere.”

For BYU, a win helps its playoff case inside the Big 12, while a loss does not break its title path; for Notre Dame, the series is about schedule stability as an independent.