Irish, BYU to face off in ’22 Shamrock Series
Notre Dame and BYU will play each other at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas next season.
The Cougars and Irish said Tuesday they will play Oct. 8 in a Shamrock Series game for Notre Dame. This will be the eighth location Notre Dame has played one of its home games away from South Bend, Indiana.
Last week, the Irish had a Shamrock Series game against Wisconsin at Soldier Field. Notre Dame improved to 10-0 in series games. Fox Sports said the game with the Badgers drew 5.37 million viewers and was the most-watched college game of the weekend.
◆ The college sports leaders who run the College Football Playoff have about four months to come to an agreement on a new format if expansion is to be implemented for the 2024 season. If they can’t get it done by then, any change to the way major college football decides its national champion will have to wait until the current television contract with ESPN runs out after 2025.
◆ TCU coach Gary Patterson said assistant Jerry Kill sustained a concussion when he got knocked down during a postgame scuffle after a home loss to SMU over the weekend and accused his opponent of plotting a provacative flag planting at midfield.
NBA
Protocols released for unvaccinated
The NBA released tentative health and safety protocols to its teams Tuesday, detailing how unvaccinated players will be tested far more often than their vaccinated colleagues and face a slew of other restrictions.
Among the rules for unvaccinated players: They will not be able to eat in the same room with vaccinated teammates or staff, must have lockers as far away from vaccinated players as possible, and will be required to remain at their residence when in their home market. They will also need to stay on team hotel properties when on the road.
◆ Pacers guard Caris LeVert reportedly has a stress fracture in his back, but there’s optimism that he could return sometime at the start of the season.
◆ As expected, disgruntled 76ers guard Ben Simmons did not report to the first day of training camp.
MISCELLANEOUS Spirit sanctioned by NWSL; coach fired
Washington Spirit coach Richie Burke was fired following an investigation into alleged violations of the NWSL’s anti-harassment policy. The team was also banned from league governance matters.
◆ Belmont is joining the Missouri Valley Conference in the fall of 2022 as the league’s 11th member after nine years in the Ohio Valley Conference.