Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert benefited greatly from quarterback Tommy Rees starting against BYU.

Eifert caught a 4-yard touchdown pass to put the Irish in front 7-0 after the quarter, and he finished the first 15 minutes with 4 receptions for 73 yards.

Eifert, a Bishop Dwenger grad, had receptions of 33 and 29 yards in the opening quarter as Rees completed 6 of 7 passes for 86 yards with a TD.

Notre Dame has outgained BYU 120-40, and the Cougars are minus 19 in rushing yards.

Notre Dame and BYU both had promising drives on the teams' first possessions, but both came away with no points.

Rees drove the Irish to the Cougars' 17-yard line on the game's first series, but Theo Riddick was dropped for a 1-yard loss and Mike Golic Jr. was called for a false start moved Notre Dame back to the 23-yard line.

Then after Rees was nearly intercepted on a third-and-9 throw, Notre Dame kicker Kyle Brindza missed wide left on a 40-yard field goal attempt.

BYU marched to Notre Dame's 19-yard line on its first possession, but the Cougars were undone by back-to-back big plays by the Irish defense.

Notre Dame defensive end Stephon Tuitt sacked BYU quarterback Riley Nelson for a 16-yard loss, and linebacker Manti Te'o intercepted Nelson's next pass attempt. Te'o has four interceptions this season, one behind the school's single-season record for a linebacker.

The Irish and Cougars then exchanged three-and-outs with both teams' drives ending with the quarterback being sacked.