Notre Dame is close to finalizing a schedule switch that would result in the Fighting Irish opening their football season Sept. 4 at BYU instead of Sept. 11 at home vs. Michigan.
The Irish originally were scheduled play at BYU on Oct. 30 but asked the Cougars to move the game so that they wouldn’t be taking the field for the first time against a Michigan team that had already played a game (Sept. 4 vs. Miami, Ohio). The move affects several other teams, including Irish rival USC. The Trojans, who had been slated to play BYU on Sept. 4, have agreed to move that game to Sept. 18.
Associate athletic director John Heisler said he expected the deal to be finalized early this week.
– Matt Macri and Craig Cooper homered twice each as Notre Dame (49-10) topped Boston College 11-5 at Bridgewater, N.J., to win its third straight Big East baseball title. . . . Illinois-Chicago (35-21) lost to Cleveland State 12-8 at Youngstown, Ohio, falling one game shy of the Horizon League championship game. . . . Ohio State held off host Minnesota 3-2 after crushing Michigan 14-2 in an elimination game. Now the Buckeyes and Golden Gophers will square off Sunday to determine the Big Ten champion. . . . Wichita State whipped Southern Illinois 5-1 to reach the Missouri Valley final, then beat the Salukis 11-3 to win the title at Springfield, Mo.
