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How Notre Dame declining Pop-Tarts Bowl led to home-and-home with BYU

When the Fighting Irish opted out of a postseason invitation to the Pop-Tarts Bowl last winter after missing the 2025 College Football Playoff, athletic director Pete Bevacqua reached out to his BYU counterpart Brian Santiago. That discussion quickly bridged an opening in both schedules, which was finalized shortly after the Cougars lost a previously arranged series against Cal due to Atlantic Coast Conference scheduling updates.

Now, the top-ranked programs are set for a high-stakes showdown in Provo.

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