BYU and Notre Dame share football and faith ties ahead of Saturday's game

The Deseret News reported that No. 2-ranked Notre Dame will play No. 8-ranked BYU in Provo on Saturday, a game between two private Christian universities that the paper said share historical connections to coach Knute Rockne and national identities tied to football. ^[1]

The newspaper said the schools also share humble beginnings and faith-based roots. Notre Dame was founded after the Rev. Edward Sorin took possession of 524 acres in northern Indiana in 1842, according to the school's website. Brigham Young Academy held its first classes in January 1876 with 70 students, according to BYU, and later became a subsidiary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ^[1]

The Deseret News noted that BYU President Shane Reese and Notre Dame President the Rev. Robert Dowd appeared together earlier this year on a panel in Washington, D.C., about faith-based higher education. It also reported differences between the schools, including enrollment of about 13,000 students at Notre Dame and more than 35,000 at BYU. ^[1]