Notre Dame in the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl: 5 Names You Need to Know

Notre Dame will makes it first ever appearance in the Champs Sports Bowl on Thursday evening, when the 8-4 Irish meet 8-4 Florida State at the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando.

Plenty of attention will be given to the quarterback situation, the final game for Michael Floyd and the pending NFL draft decision for Tyler Eifert. However, there are less heralded players who will have a bigger impact on whether or not Notre Dame wins its third consecutive bowl game after dropping nine straight.

With the Seminoles possessing a mobile quarterback, as well as one of the best defenses in the country, here are five Notre Dame players who must be at their best on Thursday night.

C Mike Golic, Jr.

When Braxton Cave was lost for the season against Wake Forest, junior Mike Golic, Jr. stepped in and helped lead the Irish to two impressive victories. Golic struggled, however, against the elite defenses of Boston College and Stanford.

He'll be matched against Florida State's run-stuffing nose guard duo of Anthony McCloud and Timmy Jernigan, who combined for 11 tackles for loss this season. If the running game is as ineffective as it was in Palo Alto, it will be hard for the Irish to top their 14 points scored in the regular season finale.

OTs Zack Martin and Taylor Dever

Martin and Dever have offered little to criticize this season, but they'll face their biggest test yet against the best pair of rush ends in the country in Bjoern Werner and Brandon Jenkins. The sophomore Werner and junior Jenkins have combined for 13 sacks this season.

While Tommy Rees has done a good job of getting rid of the ball, his lack of mobility prevents him from escaping pressure and creating something out of nothing. He'll need time to operate against a solid Seminoles secondary.

FS Zeke Motta

While E.J. Manuel has had a fairly disappointing position, his size and mobility present problems for the Irish. Unlike Tommy Rees, Manuel can avoid the pass rush and turn seemingly lost plays into big gains.

In these situations, the Irish will need Motta to prevent a missed sack from becoming a 50-yard completion. If Manuel is scrambling, one receiver is bound to break his route and take off down the field. Motta must stay disciplined with his assignments and remain aware that he is typically the last line of defense.

NT Louis Nix

Nix, the mass of humanity known casually as "Irish Chocolate," has shined for the Irish as a red-shirt freshman, providing the anchor for one of the most improved defensive lines in the country.

If you can point to one position to explain Florida State's fall from No. 5 in the nation to 8-4, it's the offensive line. None of the five spots have had the same starter all season, and the running game has been dormant. Nix against the Seminoles interior linemen may be the biggest mismatch on the field.

WR Robby Toma

A player once thought as just a throw-in to help land high school teammate Manti Te'o, Toma has emerged as the team's top slot receiver with Theo Riddick transitioning back to tailback. The undersized Hawaiian has displayed good hands and route-running ability.

Florida State's secondary will naturally be focused on Michael Floyd and Tyler Eifert. T.J. Jones has had somewhat of a sophomore slump this season, so Toma will again have an increased role against the Seminoles.