| 2011 Champs Sports Bowl | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Date | December 29, 2011 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Season | 2011 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Stadium | Florida Citrus Bowl | ||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Orlando, Florida | ||||||||||||||||||
| MVP | WRRashad Greene | ||||||||||||||||||
| Favorite | Florida State by 3[1] | ||||||||||||||||||
| Referee | Reggie Smith (Big 12) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 68,305 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Payout | US$2.275 million per team[2] | ||||||||||||||||||
| United States TV coverage | |||||||||||||||||||
| Network | ESPN/ESPN 3D | ||||||||||||||||||
| Announcers | Joe Tessitore (Play-by-Play) Rod Gilmore (Analyst) Holly Rowe (Sidelines) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nielsen ratings | 3.28 | ||||||||||||||||||
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The2011 Champs Sports Bowl, the 22nd edition of the game, was a post-season Americancollege footballbowl game, held on December 29,2011, at theCitrus Bowl inOrlando, Florida as part of the2011–12 NCAA bowl season.
The game, which was telecast at 5:30 p.m.ET onESPN andESPN 3D,[3] featured a team from theAtlantic Coast Conference versus a team from theBig East Conference.
Invitations were accepted byFlorida State andNotre Dame to play in the contest on December 4.[3] It was FSU's second Champs Bowl, and Notre Dame's first. Notre Dame was invited through an option in the Big East tie-in. The game sold out on December 7, marking the Champs Sports Bowl's first ever sellout.[3]
The two teams met for the seventh time since 1981. The Seminoles lead the all-time series 5–2, including a 2–0 bowl record against the Fighting Irish. The other bowl meeting was theOrange Bowl following the 1995 season. The teams also had a 1994 regular season meeting in Orlando, a year after the teamsmet in South Bend ranked #1 and #2 in the nation. Beginning in 2014, Notre Dame will play Florida State at least once every three years as part of the Irish's agreement to play five ACC football schools each year, as in 2013, Notre Dame became a non-football member of the ACC, maintaining its football independence.
Florida State won six of its last seven games. The Seminoles were rated as the No. 6 defense in the nation with a No. 2 rushing defense (81.83 yards per game). The team topped the nation in opponent yards per rush (2.32 yards per carry), and limited opponents to 15.2 points per game, 4th best in the country.
December 25, 2011 Notre Dame had won four of its last five games, but lost 28–14 to then No. 4Stanford to close the regular season. The team featured one the nation's best receiving combos in wide receiverMichael Floyd, who had 7.92 receptions per game for 92.17 yards per game, and tight endTyler Eifert, who had 57 receptions for 713 receiving yards.
Source.[4]
| Scoring Play | Score | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Quarter | |||
| ND –Zeke Motta 29 Yd Fumble Return (David Ruffer Kick), 9:04 | ND 7–0 | ||
| 2nd Quarter | |||
| 3rd Quarter | |||
| ND –Michael Floyd 5 Yd Pass fromTommy Rees (David Ruffer Kick), 11:24 | ND 14–0 | ||
| FSU –Dustin Hopkins 42 Yd Field Goal, 9:03 | ND 14–3 | ||
| 4th Quarter | |||
| FSU – Bert Reed 18 Yd Pass FromEJ Manuel (Two-Point Conversion Failed), 14:54 | ND 14–9 | ||
| FSU – Rashad Greene 15 Yd Pass From E.J. Manuel (Two-Point Conversion Failed), 13:18 | FSU 15–14 | ||
| FSU – Dustin Hopkins 29 Yd Field Goal, 8:05 | FSU 18–14 | ||
| Statistics | FSU | ND |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 13 | 19 |
| Rushes-yards (net) | 29–41 | 35–93 |
| Passing yards (net) | 249 | 187 |
| Passes, Att-Comp-Int | 31–20–0 | 35–19–3 |
| Total yards | 290 | 280 |
| Time of Possession | 29:51 | 30:09 |