Notre Dame vs. Florida State: What You Need to Know About the Champs Sports Bowl

Are you anxiously awaiting this year's edition of the Champs Sports Bowl? If so, you've come to the right place.

We'll be outlining exactly what you need to know about the matchup between the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and the Seminoles of Florida State.

The meeting between the two schools will renew a rivalry that has been dormant since a 37-0 Florida State victory over the Fighting Irish on November 1, 2003, in South Bend.

And away we go.

Details About the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl

Date: December 29, 2011

Time: 5:30 p.m.

Location: Orlando, Florida (Citrus Bowl)

Payout: $2,325,000

2010 Result: North Carolina State 23, West Virginia 7

First Game: December 28, 1990 (Known then as Sunshine Classic. Florida State beat Penn State 24-17 at Miami Gardens).

Each Team's Record Against Ranked Opponents

Notre Dame's Record vs. Ranked Opponents

1-1

Ranked Opponents Faced

Win vs. No. 15 Michigan State (31-13 on September 17)

Loss at No. 6 Stanford 28-14 (28-14 on November 26)

Florida State's Record vs. Ranked Opponents

0-2

Ranked Opponents Faced

Loss vs. No. 1 Oklahoma (23-13 on September 17)

Loss at No. 21 Clemson (35-30 on September 24)

Stout Defensive Lines

Notre Dame

It's no secret that the Irish pride themselves on the play of its stout defensive line.

The Irish defense employs a base 3-4 scheme, with a line featuring such linemen as Stephon Tuitt, Louis Nix, Sean Cwynar, Ethan Johnson and Aaron Lynch.

Tuitt and Lynch were the jewels of the 2011 recruiting crop, and combined to form a feared presence on the defensive line, something Notre Dame hasn't had since Justin Tuck was on campus.

Veteran defensive end Kapron Lewis-Moore suffered a torn MCL on October 22, which ended his season prematurely. The Weatherford, Texas, native is likely to play a fifth season in 2012.

Florida State

Like Notre Dame, the Seminoles boast one of the nation's premier defensive lines. It all starts with the interior of head coach Jimbo Fisher's 4-3 alignment.

Monster defensive tackles Timmy Jernigan and Everett Dawkins consistently clog the "A" gaps, while ends Brandon Jenkins and Bjoern Werner bring the heat from the edges.

That fearsome foursome has been, in large part, the key to the Seminoles' second-ranked rush defense, which has limited opponents to 81.83 yards-per-game this season.

Questionable Quarterback Play

Tommy Rees

If the subject of questionable quarterback play is going to be discussed, Tommy Rees' name should be included. The sophomore Notre Dame signal-caller has been the target of heaps of criticism this season.

The first area that has Irish fans up in arms is Rees' lack of mobility, something that is likely to uproot Rees from his current title of starting quarterback.

You can't fault Rees, though. He simply doesn't possess the type of athleticism necessary to avoid the blitz, or gain positive yards with his feet. Aggressive, attacking defenses, such as Boston College and Stanford, figured that out at the end of the season.

Both teams dropped eight players in coverage, forcing Rees to go through his progressions, resulting in a number of poor throws and interceptions.

E.J. Manuel

Florida State quarterback E.J. Manuel hasn't quite lived up to the hype that surrounded the former 4-star quarterback from Virginia Beach, Virginia.

He earned his first legitimate playing time after former quarterback Christian Ponder, who is now with the Minnesota Vikings.

Manuel became the full-time starter this season, but has been underwhelming. He was injured in the Seminoles' loss to Oklahoma and hasn't been the same since.

However, Manuel avoided throwing an interception in the season's final four games.

Rushing Offense vs. Rushing Defense

As I mentioned earlier, Florida State claims the nation's second ranked rushing defense, after allowing only 2.32 yards-per-carry this season.

The Seminoles would have had quite a stiff challenge against Notre Dame's rushing offense, but the Irish lost both starting running back Jonas Gray and starting center Braxston Cave to season-ending injuries.

Since then, the Irish ground game has tailed off, with Cierre Wood shouldering a load of the carries. Wood has accumulated 1,042 yards on the ground this season, mind you.

Wood will have Theo Riddick as his backup, after the coaching staff decided Riddick would be an effective replacement for Jonas Gray. Riddick played running back in high school, but was moved to wide receiver in Brian Kelly's initial spring practices of 2010.

This battle in the trenches will likely be the deciding factor of the game, so look for Florida State to win that battle due to Notre Dame's injury problems.

Dynamic Playmakers

Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd

When talking about playmakers in the Champs Sports Bowl, Michael Floyd should be the first player discussed.

After deciding to return to school for his senior season, Floyd went to work, and the results have shown. He has had one of the best season's by a receiver in 2011, racking up 95 receptions for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns.

Floyd's large frame (6'3", 224) allows him to out-muscle defensive backs, and win the battle for the jump ball. He also has deceiving speed for a player of his size.

Don't be surprised if you continue to hear his name being discussed on Sundays.

Florida State RB Devonta Freeman

It's not often that a freshman has a significant impact at the running back position in college football. Devonta Freeman opposes that theory, though.

The freshman out of Central High School in Miami has made quite a splash up in Tallahassee this season, carrying the ball 107 times for 531 yards, good for an average of 4.96 yards-per-attempt.

Freeman only checks in a 5'8" and 200 pounds, but his small size certainly hasn't been a downfall. His running style has been compared to that of Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew. Now that's an elite comparison.

Field Position Battle

If Notre Dame's abysmal punt return unit doesn't already know, Florida State boasts the country's most effective punter, Shawn Powell.

Powell, a senior, averages 47 yards-per-punt, good for tops in the nation. That should be enough to make Brian Kelly have nightmares in his hotel room in Orlando.

All jokes aside, Powell's ability to pin opponents deep in their own territory is terrible news for Notre Dame, which seemingly started every possession behind its own 10-yard-line against Stanford on November 26.

Looks as if Florida State will be winning the field position battle as well.

Coaches' Resumes

Florida State Head Coach Jimbo Fisher

Overall Head Coaching Record: 18-8

Two Seasons with the Seminoles: 18-8

Bowl Record: 1-0

Highest AP Ranking While Head Coach: 17th (2010)

Notre Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly

Overall Head Coaching Record: 187-65-2

Two Seasons with the Fighting Irish: 16-9

Bowl Record: 1-0

Highest AP Ranking While Head Coach: 4th (2009 with Cincinnati)

Overall Performance in 2011

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

2011 Record: 8-4

Key Wins: 31-13 vs. No. 15 Michigan State, 15-12 @ Pittsburgh, 24-17 @ Wake Forest

Notre Dame's season certainly didn't go as planned, considering a slew of preseason publications, including Phil Steele, had the Fighting Irish picked to play in a BCS game. A loss to South Florida in the first week of the season all but crushed those predictions.

The Irish also failed to show up for the season's most important games against USC in South Bend, and versus Stanford on the road.

Florida State Seminoles

2011 Record: 8-4 (5-3 in ACC)

Key Wins: 23-19 vs. Miami (FL), 21-7 @ Florida

Like Notre Dame, the Seminoles were selected by many to play in a BCS game prior to the start of the season. Those predictions looked silly after the team lost three consecutive games against Oklahoma, Clemson and Wake Forest.

A number of key injuries also played a role in derailing Florida State's season, but with nearly every starter set to return next season, a BCS berth won't be out of the question for Jimbo Fisher's squad in 2012.