Notre Dame vs. BYU: Pregame observations from Allegiant Stadium
The Shamrock Series heads to Las Vegas for its 11th edition. Notre Dame (2-2) and No. 16 BYU (4-1) play Saturday at Allegiant Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT). Follow along here for live pregame updates and observations.
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2:08 p.m. PT: Notre Dame defensive players and coaches start trickling out to midfield for their typical pregame huddle and reflection moments after they arrive. They disperse and head to the locker room at 2:14.
2:24 p.m.: Specialists emerge for initial warmups and stretching. Kicker Blake Grupe begins his first round of warmup field goal attempts from 21 yards out. Backup kicker Zac Yoakam started his warmups first.
Freshman punter Bryce McFerson is going through warmups and punting. Marcus Freeman said he will be available as the backup punter for the first time this year. He missed the first four games due to a groin injury.
2:32 p.m.: The wide receivers are the first offensive or defensive position group out for warmups. They start with routes on air.
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2:38 p.m.: The first BYU players emerge on the field for warmups.
2:45 p.m.: Most Notre Dame position groups are on the field for light warmups. Grupe extends his field goal practice range to 55 yards from the center of the field. He appeared to go 1-of-2, with both having the distance. He then goes to each of the far hashes from 57 yards, with both having plenty of distance (One was a make, the other wasn’t clear).
Notre Dame likely won’t play in a better setting for Grupe to attempt a long field goal this year. Allegiant Stadium is enclosed.
3:00 p.m.: The stadium gates have opened and fans are trickling in. Both fan bases are well-represented among the early arrivers. Notre Dame looks like it has the slightly larger contingent.
3:00 p.m.: Notre Dame releases its pregame injury update and says no players from the two-deep are unavailable. As expected, that means safeties DJ Brown (hamstring) and Ramon Henderson (ankle) are active. BYU, meanwhile, is getting its two best receivers back from injury.
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3:01 p.m.: Almost Irish players have cleared the field to go back the locker room to put on their uniforms. Running back Logan Diggs stays out for some time to practice moves with the ball in his hands.
3:07 p.m.: Notre Dame’s band plays the alma mater from the stands. During it, BYU players gather on their side of the field and break the huddle to applause from their fans. Dueling cheers of sorts.
3:27 p.m.: Specialists re-emerge from the locker room in the white uniforms.
3:35 p.m.: The video board shows former Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o, who is at the game and part of NBC’s halftime coverage. He gets a hearty ovation from the Irish fans in attendance at the less-than-20-percent filled stadium an hour before kick.
3:45 p.m.: If the ovations for small groups of BYU and Notre Dame players running on the field are any indication, both teams will have a strong fan contingent here and the crowd will be fairly split.
3:50 p.m.: All Notre Dame players are on the field for full-team stretching.
4:05 p.m.: Notre Dame does its full 11-on-11 warmups. The most notable thing from them was linebacker Junior Tuihalamaka lined up at defensive end on one snap.
4:12 p.m.: Notre Dame leaves the field for the final time.
4:13 p.m.: Both schools’ bands are here, but Notre Dame’s lines up for its usual pregame march on the field. BYU’s remains in the stands.
4:34 p.m.: Notre Dame wins the toss and defers to the second half.
