Irish to open Sept. 12 vs. Duke

Notre Dame will open its season as an Atlantic Coast Conference football member against visiting Duke on Sept. 12 and won’t face Navy for the first time in more than nine decades as part of the ACC’s reconfigured schedule in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

The conference released its schedule Thursday featuring the Irish, who are giving up their coveted football independence and competing for the ACC title this season. The ACC had announced plans last week for a 10-game conference slate with one nonconference game, plus its championship game.

In addition to Duke, Notre Dame will host Western Michigan, Florida State, Louisville, Clemson and Syracuse. The Irish will visit Wake Forest, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, Boston College and North Carolina.

† Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons,

Purdue receiver Rondale Moore, Miami defensive end Gregory Rousseau and Auburn linebacker Chandler Wooten opted out of playing this season because of concerns about the coronavirus. Parsons and Moore were All-Americans last season.

Clemson, Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia and LSU are the top five teams in the USA Today coaches’ poll. Notre Dame is 10th.