Kalani Sitake believes BYU is ready for its biggest test against Notre Dame

PROVO — BYU head coach Kalani Sitake knows the Cougars face a difficult challenge when they host No. 2 Notre Dame on Saturday night, but he also sees an opportunity for his team to make a statement on the national stage.

"What do we have to lose, man? This is the matchup we wanted from the very beginning," Sitake said Wednesday during an appearance on Fox Sports' "Wake Up Barstool."

"I don't know what the outcome's going to be, but I know one thing, I want both sides to feel it when the game's done," he said. "I think if we play at our best and we play as physical as we can, then we'll be okay with whatever the scoreboard says."

BYU is going to have their hands full against a team that many college football pundits picked to win the national championship. The Fighting Irish have displayed both a dominant offense and defense through their first six games. Even after losing players to the NFL last season, Notre Dame reloaded.

"The running backs are really talented, but that big offensive line and with their tight ends and even their receivers, they block, they create big plays," Sitake said. "When you load the box and try to take away the run game, Carr does a great job of distributing the ball and he has great receivers out in the space."

Irish quarterback CJ Carr has been among the best signal callers in the country and is firmly in the race for the Heisman Trophy. On the season, Carr has passed for 1,378 yards and 16 touchdowns with just one interception.

Carr isn't the flashiest quarterback, but he makes the right decisions and is able to lead Notre Dame's offense. Standing behind one of the best offensive lines in the country helps as well.

The Cougars have a strong offensive line unit as well, led by senior Bruce Mitchell. Mitchell has been graded among the top three centers in college football this season and has helped anchor BYU's offensive line.

"It's behind our O-line, too. I gave a lot of praise to Notre Dame and their big physical O-line. We feel like we have one, too. We have a bunch of guys up front that have played a lot of games and started for us, so the experience is there. Notre Dame's defense is the best in the country, so this is not an easy thing."

The play in the trenches may dictate the way this game unfolds but the Cougars believe they are ready for the challenge. All the work in the offseason and the growth over the past few seasons has this team in a spot to make a national statement.

"We have to be able to establish an identity," Sitake said. "There's some fundamental things that we have to do really well and it all comes down to the simple things. We like to play all 60 minutes, and we want to be able to, at the end of it, feel like we're in a really good spot. That's what we trained for."

BYU will need their star quarterback to replicate the success he had a week ago when Bear Bachmeier totaled 438 yards and set a career-high career-high in rushing yards with 109 against Iowa State.

Bachmeier will not only need to help carry the load on the ground, but finding open receivers and getting timely throws against a very good Irish secondary will be a must if the Cougars want to pull off the upset.

"With Bear distributing the ball, we feel really good about what we can accomplish in this game," Sitake said.

"I just like the matchup, man," he added. "I think it's going to get the best out of us, and I think it's going to be a great step for the program."

For Sitake, Saturday's matchup is about more than the opportunity to knock off one of the top teams in the country. It's a chance for the players he's coached and the program he has helped build to show they are ready to be recognized among the nation's best.

Few coaches in college football display their emotions with the same enthusiasm as Sitake. Whether he's dancing past the student section on his way to the tunnel at LaVell Edwards Stadium or constantly praising his players, his passion for BYU is evident.

The love that Sitake has for the program and university is part of what kept him in Provo despite interest from other schools. Like his mentor, LaVell Edwards, Sitake wants to build something lasting at BYU.

As the Cougars prepare for one of the biggest games of his tenure, his focus remains on the players who will take the field Saturday night.

"This game is not about me as a head coach," Sitake said. "I get to coach amazing young men. I've learned so much from these guys. I love these young men. More than anything, I just want to get out of the way, let them just go accomplish their deals, and then, for me, just give them some guidelines and some principles to follow through with. That's what LaVell did for me when I played, and it worked really well."

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