College GameDay plans Provo return for top-10 showdown

ESPN's College GameDay will broadcast from Provo on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, its first stop there since Oct. 24, 2009, ahead of No. 3 Notre Dame (6-0) at No. 8 BYU (5-0). The show announced the visit on X on Oct. 10 after Notre Dame routed Stanford 58-7 and BYU beat Iowa State 24-10. The game airs on ABC. Reports disagree on kickoff: 5:30 p.m. MT / 6:30 p.m. ET in some accounts, 7:30 p.m. ET in the Star-Telegram. KUTV says the three-hour pregame airs 7 to 10 a.m. MDT, with the on-campus site to be named later. Jason Batacao of the Salt Lake Tribune notes BYU is 0-4 all-time when featured on GameDay, including that 38-7 TCU loss in its first hosting, and asks if the Cougars can end the streak. Right-rated outlets stress other stakes and color: Star-Telegram points to BYU's thin playoff margin and names QBs Bear Bachmeier and Heisman-contender CJ Carr; KUTV cites resale prices up to $26,000, the programs' 28-4 and 30-4 marks since 2024, Notre Dame's 7-2 series lead, and BYU's last victory over the Irish, 20-17 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in 2004. Core schedule and score facts align across outlets; emphasis on curse, tickets, and playoff risk varies.