Dec. 7, 2008
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – For just the second time in school history, Notre Dame will be playing a bowl game in Hawai’i.
The Fighting Irish (6-6) will face Hawai’i (7-6) in the seventh annualSheraton Hawai’i Bowl on Dec. 24, the NCAA announced Sunday evening.
“We’re very excited about heading out west to play in the Sheraton Hawai’iBowl,” head coach Charlie Weis said. “This is a great opportunity for ourteam to face a quality opponent in their backyard and we’ll need to beready.
“I know the extra practices this month will really benefit our team and welook forward to ending this season on a good note.”
This will be the fourth trip to Hawai’i in the football program’s history.The Irish lost to SMU in the 1984 Aloha Bowl, 27-20, and played at Hawai’iin the regular season finales in 1991 and 1997. Notre Dame won both previousmeetings with the Warriors, 48-42 in 1991 and 23-22 in 1997.
Site of the game is 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawai’i. ESPNwill nationally televise the game at 8:00 p.m. EST (3:00 p.m. HST inHonolulu).
Notre Dame will be making its 29th bowl appearance overall and its fourth inthe past five seasons. The Irish played in the 2007 Allstate Sugar Bowl, the2006 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and the 2004 Insight Bowl. Notre Dame is 13-15 inpostseason play.
Hawai’i will be making its ninth bowl appearance since becoming a FootballBowl Subdivision (formerly Division I) member in 1974. The Warriors are 5-3all-time in bowl games and have received seven bowl berths in the last 10years. Hawai’i played in last year’s Sugar Bowl and has also played in theAloha Bowl (1989), Holiday Bowl (1992), O’ahu Bowl (1999) and the Hawai’iBowl (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006). The Warriors are 3-1 in previous Hawai’iBowls, losing in 2002 (36-28 to Tulane) but winning the last three (54-48 inthree overtimes vs. Houston in 2003, 59-40 vs. UAB in 2004, and 41-24 vs.Arizona State in 2006).
Tickets will go on sale Monday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST at the Notre DameTicket Office and are also available by calling the Notre Dame Ticket Officeat (574) 631-7356 or online at www.und.com/tickets .
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