Notre Dame Football: 5 Best Bowl Opportunities for the Fighting Irish

Notre Dame locked up a bowl bid on Saturday night with a 24-17 win at Wake Forest and will return to the postseason for the third time in four years.

BCS bowl hopes were crushed with the loss to USC, but there are still plenty of options for the Irish.

Last season, the Sun Bowl did not emerge as a possibility for Notre Dame until very late in the season, so this season's destination is only speculation at this point. 

As the bowl picture begins to clear, here is a look at five potential candidates to host the Fighting Irish this holiday season.

Champs Sports Bowl: Orlando, FL (Dec. 29th, 5:30 PM)

The Champs Sports Bowl has an opportunity to select Notre Dame once in a four-year cycle lasting through 2013.

They passed on the 7-5 Irish last season, but appear likely to snap up an eight- or nine-win Notre Dame team this year.

Notre Dame would replace the Big East runner-up, and West Virginia is the only team with the fanbase to merit selection over the Irish.

With WVU having been to Orlando last season, Notre Dame is the likely choice. The opponent would be the third selection from the ACC—likely Clemson, Virginia Tech or Florida State.

Pinstripe Bowl: Bronx, NY (Dec. 30th, 3:20 PM)

Notre Dame is a backup selection for the Pinstripe Bowl, a potential replacement for a Big 12 team.

With the conference likely to get two teams in the BCS, the Big 12 would need eight bowl-eligible teams to fill the slot. Kansas is out, and it's likely that two of Iowa State, Missouri and Texas Tech will stay home.

If West Virginia wins out and the Irish stumble once or twice, they could end up in New York.

The opponent would be the fourth selection of Big East teams—likely Rutgers, Syracuse or Louisville.

Liberty Bowl: Memphis, TN (Dec. 31st, 3:30 PM)

Notre Dame has no contractual agreements with any other bowls, so like 2010, they could fill an at-large slot should a bowl have an open slot.

If the Irish are not selected for the Champs Sports Bowl and the Pinstripe Bowl has an eligible Big 12 team, the Liberty Bowl would be an option.

The bowl gets the ninth pick of SEC teams, which means the league needs 10 bowl-eligible teams with two teams headed to the BCS.

Ole Miss is out, and Kentucky is likely out. The Vanderbilt-Tennessee loser also could miss the postseason.

Notre Dame would welcome the opportunity to play in the South, fertile recruiting grounds. The opponent would be the Conference USA champion—likely Houston, Southern Miss or Tulsa.

Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl: San Francisco, CA (Dec. 31st, 3:30 PM)

The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl has the sixth pick of Pac-12 teams (seventh if Oregon and Stanford both go to the BCS).

The Pac-12 will have seven bowl-eligible teams but also has a contract with the New Mexico Bowl, whose Pac-12 slot will likely be open.

A deal could be worked out between the two bowls for the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl to pass on a Pac-12 team and let the New Mexico Bowl fill its Pac-12 slot. This would allow Notre Dame to potentially be available to come to San Francisco.

Notre Dame would not play in the New Mexico Bowl, as its December 17th date conflicts with final exams. The opponent at AT&T Park would be a WAC team, possibly Nevada.

Poinsettia Bowl: San Diego, CA (Dec. 21st, 8:00 PM)

Notre Dame loves playing in California, a state that they consider vital for recruiting.

The bowl will likely have an open WAC slot, as only three teams from the conference (Nevada, Hawaii, Louisiana Tech) should be bowl-eligible.

San Diego would love a chance to lure Notre Dame to town, and the Irish would likewise benefit from an appearance in southern California.

The opponent would be from the Mountain West—either TCU or San Diego State.