Here’s how the South Bend, INDIANA CBS affiliate has posted the bowl invitation story =
Notre Dame and Miami will meet in the Sun Bowl, Dec. 31 in El Paso, Texas, selection committee chairman John H. Folmer announced Sunday afternoon.
The game will be played at 2 p.m. ET at Sun Bowl Stadium and will be televised on CBS. Both teams will be making their first appearances in the Sun Bowl.
“After a great game last year, who would have thought that we could have two great football schools like Notre Dame and Miami in the Hyundai Sun Bowl,” Folmer said in a statement. “After waiting 77 years, the stars have finally lined up for us. I have spent 40 years as a volunteer and I would have never thought I would see the day that Notre Dame and Miami would play in the Sun Bowl.”
The Sun Bowl will be the 24th meeting between the two schools, but first since 1990. Notre Dame leads the all-time series 15-7-1. It will be the first-ever bowl game matchup between the two teams.
“We are thrilled about getting Notre Dame back to a bowl game, especially one with tradition like the Hyundai Sun Bowl,” said Irish head coach Brian Kelly in a statement. “Following our victory at USC, we internally targeted the Sun Bowl as a great game for us because of the national exposure the game receives and the top-notch opponent we will face in Miami. This game will serve as a perfect prelude to the three-game series we’ll experience in the coming years. We look forward to the great reception our school will receive in El Paso and experiencing the hospitality that has been a trademark of the Sun Bowl.”
Notre Dame and Miami were set to renew their “Catholics vs. Convicts” rivalry in 2012 at Soldier Field in Chicago, but now it will come sooner.
“The University of Notre Dame is proud to accept the offer from the Sun Bowl Committee and we eagerly anticipate our travels to El Paso,” said Jack Swarbrick, Notre Dame director of athletics, in a statement. “This bowl is rich in tradition and we look forward to contributing to it this year. Our fans will enjoy El Paso and our University is excited to immerse itself in the welcoming community. I want to congratulate Coach Kelly, our coaching staff and team, but especially our seniors on finishing the season in such a strong fashion to put us in position to play in this prestigious game.”
Miami (7-5, 5-3 ACC) finished second in the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal Division, and fired coach Randy Shannon after the season. Offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland will coach the Hurricanes in the Sun Bowl.
“This is one of those situations where the history speaks for itself. We have two great programs that have incredible history and we are playing in the second oldest bowl on national television,” said Miami head coach Jeff Stoutland, in a statement. “The players will be excited. We’re playing Notre Dame, and these guys know the history behind them and the rivalry between these programs. This is their chance to be a part of one of the greatest rivalries in the game.”