Leonard Moore is expected to start for No. 2 Notre Dame at No. 8 BYU tonight, pending final clearance from concussion protocol, according to ESPN college football reporter Pete Thamel. But a final decision on Moore’s status will come shortly before kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The All-American cornerback sat out last week’s 58-7 destruction of Stanford, and Notre Dame’s toughest test yet arrives with his availability awaiting official word.
Head coach Marcus Freeman said Thursday that Moore practiced some this week and that the Irish are preparing as if he will play, with his workload still to be determined.
Moore suffered the concussion late in the fourth quarter of Notre Dame’s 37-26 win at North Carolina on Oct. 3, going down on an attempted tackle of tight end Jelani Thurman, according to 247Sports reporter Drew Mentock. He stayed down for several minutes before walking off the field on his own.
The Irish listed him as questionable for Stanford during the week, then ruled him out on game day, according to On3 Notre Dame reporter Tyler James.
Moore, a junior from Round Rock, Texas, arrived at Notre Dame as a three-star recruit and measures 6-foot-2 and 197 pounds, according to Pro Football Focus. He took over a starting job as a true freshman in 2024 after Benjamin Morrison suffered a season-ending injury, started 10 of 16 games and finished with 48 tackles, two interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
His father, Dr. Leonard N. Moore, is a University of Texas at Austin professor who focuses on African-American history and the history of college football.
Last year, Moore became a unanimous All-American with five interceptions and a 91.8 overall grade, the highest among college cornerbacks, according to PFF. Quarterbacks posted a 45.1 passer rating when they threw his way.
| NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH — 2026 SCHEDULE | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RESULTS — 6-0 (0-0) | ||||
| Date | Opponent | H/A | Result | Record |
| Sun, Sep 6 | Wisconsin * | Neutral | W 41-13 | 1-0 |
| Sat, Sep 12 | Rice | Home | W 52-0 | 2-0 |
| Sat, Sep 19 | Michigan State | Home | W 27-10 | 3-0 |
| Sat, Sep 26 | @ Purdue | Away | W 49-10 | 4-0 |
| Sat, Oct 3 | @ North Carolina | Away | W 37-26 | 5-0 |
| Sat, Oct 10 | Stanford | Home | W 58-7 | 6-0 |
| UPCOMING | ||||
| Date | Opponent | H/A | Kickoff (ET) | Network |
| Sat, Oct 17 | @ #8 BYU | Away | 4:30 PM | ABC |
| Sat, Oct 31 | Navy * | Neutral | 9:00 AM | — |
| Sat, Nov 7 | #3 Miami | Home | 4:30 PM | NBC |
| Sat, Nov 14 | Boston College | Home | 12:30 PM | NBC |
| Sat, Nov 21 | #24 SMU | Home | 4:30 PM | NBC |
| Sat, Nov 28 | @ Syracuse | Away | TBD | TBD |
| * Neutral-site games (Sep 6 vs. Wisconsin; Oct 31 vs. Navy). Rankings per AP Poll at time of game. Home games at Notre Dame Stadium, Notre Dame, IN. All times Eastern. | ||||
Moore’s Return Reshapes the Notre Dame Defense
Notre Dame is 1-0 without Moore this season. Defensive end Boubacar Traore and cornerback Mark Zackery IV each intercepted a pass in the 58-7 Stanford rout. Jayden Sanders, a Michigan transfer, made his first Irish start at Moore’s spot.
Moore’s strength lies in man coverage. Six of his seven career interceptions came in that look, and Freeman’s defense has called Cover 1 on 42% of its snaps across this season and last, the second-highest rate in the FBS, according to PFF.
With Moore on the field, defensive coordinator Chris Ash can lean harder on man principles against BYU. The Cougars will play without running back LJ Martin, according to CBS Sports.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Chase a Rare Top 10 Road Win
Both teams are unbeaten, and the game marks the first top 10 matchup in the history of LaVell Edwards Stadium, according to Canes Warning.
Notre Dame has not won a true road game against a top 10 opponent since beating No. 8 Oklahoma in 2012, a stretch of seven straight losses, according to Salt Lake Tribune reporter Sean Walker. Under Freeman, the Irish are 0-3 in those games, at No. 2 Ohio State and at No. 5 USC in 2022, then at No. 10 Miami last season in a 27-24 loss that kept them out of the College Football Playoff.
Freeman’s record in true road games against AP top 25 opponents stands at 4-4.
“This is going to be, on paper, the best opponent we’re going to see to date,” Freeman said, as quoted by The Salt Lake Tribune.
A win would hand Freeman his first top 10 road victory at Notre Dame and give the Irish a signature result for their playoff resume. Official word on Moore’s status is expected closer to kickoff.
Will Leonard Moore Play for Notre Dame Today? What He’ll Do During BYU Game