BYU and Notre Dame: Similarities exists between football foes

Key Points:

• LaVell Edwards is celebrated as the “Father of BYU Football,” having led the Cougars for 29 seasons to a national title and multiple conference championships, while Knute Rockne, Notre Dame’s legendary coach, is considered the “Godfather of BYU Football” due to his early influence on BYU’s coaching staff.
• The upcoming football game between No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 8 BYU highlights two private Christian universities with shared historical ties to faith and football, both emphasizing their religious missions alongside strong academic traditions.
• BYU President Shane Reese and Notre Dame President Rev. Robert Dowd recently appeared together at a national panel discussing the unique role faith-based institutions play in higher education, underscoring common values despite different religious affiliations.
• Notre Dame was founded in 1842 by Rev. Edward Sorin with a Catholic mission, overcoming early challenges and anti-Catholic sentiment, while BYU was established in 1876 by Brigham Young as a Latter-day Saint institution, with football becoming a key part of its identity under coach LaVell Edwards.
• Despite differences in size, selectivity, tuition, and academic strengths, both BYU and Notre Dame maintain strong faith-based identities and have produced notable alumni in sports, politics, and the arts, reflecting their broad impact beyond football.