The Florida State Seminoles (8-4) take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-4) in the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl, and do so as narrow favorites, according to SB Nation's NCAA football odds page. The two outlets to have already set their lines have the 'Noles as narrow favorites against the Irish, with another outlet setting the over-under at 45 points.
Second-year coach Jimbo Fisher will aim to make it two-for-two in bowl victories at Florida State, as his squad prevailed over the South Carolina Gamecocks, 26-17, in the 2010 Chick-Fil-A Bowl. The Irish are also coming off a bowl victory, having sent the Miami Hurricanes to a 33-17 defeat in the 2010 Sun Bowl. Notre Dame raced out to a 27-0 lead before easing off in that game.
The 2011 Champs Sports Bowl will be the seventh meeting between Florida State and Notre Dame, and the first since 2003. The Seminoles lead the all-time series, 4-2. In addition, the 2011 game will be the second bowl matchup between the two schools; Florida State defeated Notre Dame, 31-26, in the 1996 Orange Bowl.
Kickoff for the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl is set for 5:30 Eastern on Thursday, Dec. 29 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando. ESPN will have the call.
For more on the Seminoles, please visit Tomahawk Nation, SB Nation's Florida State blog. For the perspective from the other side, please visit SB Nation Indiana and One Foot Down, SB Nation's Notre Dame blog.