USF BULLS
at
Notre Dame Fighting Irish

GAMEDAY CENTRAL

Notre Dame Stadium (80,975/Natural Grass)
Notre Dame, Ind.
Saturday, September 3 • 3:30 p.m. • NBC

Television
NBC — Tom Hammond, Mike Mayock and Alex Flanagan

USF Radio
WFLA-AM 970 (flagship) Sirius 113

THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between USF and Notre Dame on the gridiron … Despite the lack of a series history, both head coaches are quite familiar with their opponent … USF coach Skip Holtz is a 1986 graduate of Notre Dame, a former Irish player and was an assistant coach at his alma mater from 1990-93 … Holtz’s father, Lou Holtz, was Notre Dame’s head coach for 11 years (1986-96) and won the 1988 national championship … Current Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly spent three years in the BIG EAST at Cincinnati (2007-09), during which time the Bearcats won two BIG EAST titles.

USF (0-0)
Head Coach
Skip Holtz (Notre Dame ’86)
8-5, second season at USF
80-55, 12th season as collegiate head coach

NOTES
USF has finished 8-5 in each of the last three seasons and is one of just 15 schools that has won at least eight games in five consecutive seasons … USF has played in a bowl game in each year it has been a member of the BIG EAST … Head coach Skip Holtz has taken his teams to five straight bowl games, including four trips as head coach at East Carolina … QB B.J. Daniels returns for his third year as the Bulls’ starting signal-caller … Daniels battled through injuries to throw for 1,685 yards and 11 touchdowns last year … RB Demetris Murray is the top returning rusher, with 542 yards and four touchdowns a year ago, but RB Darrell Scott — a transfer from Colorado — could see significant carries as well … WR A.J. Love returns to the lineup for a sixth year of eligibility after he missed all of last year with a knee injury … LB DeDe Lattimore (69 tackles, 2.5 sacks) and LB Sam Barrington (65 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss) lead a veteran defense … WR Lindsey Lamar was the 2010 BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Year after he turned in 1,101 all-purpose yards last year.

16/18 NOTRE DAME (0-0)
Head Coach
Brian Kelly (Assumption ’83)
8-5, second season at Notre Dame
179-62-2, 21st season as collegiate head coach

NOTES
Notre Dame enters the 2011 season ranked No. 16 in the preseason Associated Press poll and No. 18 in the USA Today coaches’ poll … The Fighting Irish were 8-5 last season in Brian Kelly’s first season in South Bend … Notre Dame was 4-5 through nine games last season, but reeled off four straight wins to close the season … QB Dayne Crist has been named as the Opening Day starter … Crist threw for 2,033 yards and 15 touchdowns with seven interceptions in an injury-shortened 2010 season … WR Michael Floyd is considered one of the nation’s top receivers, evidenced by a school-record 28 career touchdown receptions … Floyd has 13 career games with at least 100 receiving yards … The Irish defense lists eight returning starters from last year, including LB Manti Te’o, who registered 133 tackles and had 9.5 tackles for loss last year … K David Ruffer (18-19 FG, 37-40 PAT) was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award in 2010.