The University of Notre Dame --- anxious to bounce back from a 5-7 season in 2003 --- begins its 2004 football season Sept. 4, at Brigham Young, in a game to be televised on ESPN at 6 p.m.

The Irish are led on offense by sophomore quarterback Brady Quinn, 1,000-yard rusher Ryan Grant and leading receiver Rhema McKnight. Defensive end Justin Tuck is a solid All-America candidate and anchors a much-improved defense under third-year coach Tyrone Willingham.

Local Catholic prep products on this year's Notre Dame roster include junior guard James Bonelli (St. Bonaventure), freshman defensive back Terrail Lambert (St. Bonaventure), and freshman defensive end Brandon Nicolas (Mater Dei).

It is the Irish's second-ever visit to Provo, having won there 45-20 in 1993, and the first time since 1965 (48-6 at Cal) that the Irish have opened their season in the West. Overall, Notre Dame has a 3-1 lead in the series with the Cougars, including a 33-14 win last year at South Bend and a 42-16 win in 1992.

The Cougars' lone win was at South Bend, 21-14 in 1994. Like the Irish, BYU is a traditionally strong program that suffered a difficult 2003, going 4-8 with five losses in its last six games, but figures to be better in 2004 with 10 starters returning.

The Irish open their home season on Sept. 11 against perennial powerhouse Michigan, which opens its year ranked No. 8 and will play host to Miami (Ohio) on Sept. 4. The remaining schedule --- with nine games against bowl game participants from 2003 --- is as follows:

---Sept. 18, at Michigan State.
---Sept. 25, Washington.
---Oct. 2, Purdue.
---Oct. 9, Stanford.
---Oct. 16, at Navy.
---Oct. 23, Boston College.
---Nov. 6, at Tennessee.
---Nov. 13, Pittsburgh.
---Nov. 27, at USC.

The University of Southern California began its 2004 campaign with a 24-13 triumph over Virginia Tech Aug. 29. The No. 1-ranked Trojans return to action Sept. 11 with their home opener at the Coliseum against Colorado State. The rest of the USC schedule:

---Sept. 18, at Brigham Young.
---Sept. 25, at Stanford.
---Oct. 9, Califronia.
---Oct. 16, Arizona State.
---Oct. 23, Washington.
---Oct. 30, at Washington State.
---Nov. 6, at Oregon State.
---Nov. 13, Arizona.
---Nov. 27, Notre Dame.
---Dec. 4, at UCLA.

The UCLA Bruins, who finished 6-7 in 2003, begin their second season under coach Karl Dorrell on Sept. 4 at the Rose Bowl against Oklahoma State. UCLA then heads to Illinois on Sept. 11, followed by:

---Sept. 18, at Washington.
---Oct. 2, San Diego State.
---Oct. 9, Arizona.
---Oct. 16, at California.
---Oct. 23, at Arizona State.
---Oct. 30, Stanford.
---Nov. 6, Washington State.
---Nov. 13, at Oregon.
---Dec. 4, USC.