Head coach Brian Kelly will address the 2012 graduates of Assumption College as commencement speaker on May 12

Notre Dame Accepts Invitation to Champs Sports Bowl

Dec. 4, 2011

camera.gifH.Smith/M.Floyd Champs Bowl Announcement Press Conference

camera.gifCoach Kelly Accepts the Champs Sports Bowl Invitation

To download an audio podcast of the Champs Sports Bowl Teleconference with Coach Kelly CLICK HERE.

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – For the first time in history, Notre Dame is headed to Orlando, Fla., for a postseason football bowl game.

Notre Dame (8-4) meets Atlantic Coast Conference representative Florida State (8-4) in the 22nd Champs Sports Bowl at 5:30 p.m. EST on Dec. 29, 2011, in the 65,438-seat Citrus Bowl Stadium.

It’s the third bowl appearance for the Irish in the last four seasons and their sixth in the last eight years.

ESPN will nationally televise the game and ESPN Radio also will carry the game.

The Irish and Seminoles face off for the seventh time and second time in a bowl game. Florida State owns a 4-2 series lead and is the only ACC school that has faced the Irish at least twice and owns the advantage in the series. The Seminoles won the last meeting 37-0 at Notre Dame Stadium in 2003. Florida State also claimed the only postseason matchup between the two schools, claiming the 1996 Orange Bowl 31-26.

Notre Dame will be making its 31st bowl appearance overall–its first in the Champs Sports Bowl–and its ninth in the state of Florida (five previous Orange Bowl appearances and three Gator Bowl appearances). The Irish stand 15-15 in postseason play and have won two straight bowl games.

This marks the second consecutive year the Irish have faced a bowl opponent from the ACC and the sixth bowl game overall against a current member of the ACC. Notre Dame defeated Miami (Fla.) in the 2010 Sun Bowl (31-17) to snap a three-game losing streak against ACC schools in bowl games. The Irish lost to North Carolina State in the 2003 Gator Bowl (28-6), Georgia Tech (35-28) in the 1999 Gator Bowl and Florida State (31-26) in the 1996 Orange Bowl. Notre Dame defeated Boston College (19-18) in the 1983 Liberty Bowl.

Notre Dame will be playing in the Citrus Bowl Stadium for the third time-following a 23-16 loss there to Florida State in 1994 and a 45-14 victory over Navy there in 2000.

Notre Dame will be the designated home team in this game and will wear its traditional blue jerseys with gold pants and gold helmets.

Tickets for the Champs Sports Bowl are now available. Tickets are $67 each and can be ordered by visiting www.und.com/tickets or calling the Notre Dame Athletics Department Ticket Office at 574-631-7356. VISA, MasterCard, American Express and Discover are accepted forms of payment online and over the phone. There is a $20 charge per order for traceable FedEx delivery service to ensure receipt during the busy holiday season. Per ticket fees may also apply. A personalized email has been sent to alumni, benefactors, parents, season ticket holders and faculty/staff with an email address on file at the Notre Dame Ticket Office. Members of the Notre Dame family are encouraged to log in to their primary University account to ensure their priority for seating and possible lottery purposes. Public orders are subject to a first come/first served lottery if necessary. For account assistance, ticket purchases and questions please call the Notre Dame Ticket Office beginning Monday at 8:30 a.m. EST.

A student ticket sale will be held on Dec. 6.