TODAY | No. 4 LSU (10-2) vs No. 11 Notre Dame (10-2)

What: Sugar BowlWhere: New OrleansGame time: 8 p.m.TV: (17/62) (8) (53)Coaches: Les Miles (21-4 in second year at LSU) and Charlie Weis (19-5 in second year at Notre Dame).Payout: Each school receives 17 million.Bowl records: LSU is 18-18-1. Notre Dame is 13-14.Last bowl: LSU beat Miami, 40-3, in last year's Peach Bowl. Notre Dame lost to Ohio State, 35-21, in last year's Fiesta Bowl.Series history: Notre Dame leads, 5-4.Last meeting: Notre Dame won, 39-36, in 1998.Last game: LSU won at Arkansas, 31-26, on Nov. 24. Notre Dame lost at USC, 44-24, Nov. 25.Stat that matters: Fighting Irish's eight-game bowl losing streak is longest in nation as ND has given up 34 points per loss over streak.Game facts: After surviving wicked schedule that included four road games to top 10 teams, Tigers might be playing as well as anybody in nation with six-game winning streak. QB JaMarcus Russell (led SEC, third in nation in QB rating for season, 52-of-79, 640 passing, 8 TDs, 0 ints. in last three games) has been superb while attacking defense (third in nation in total defense, 238.7 ypg, fifth in scoring, 12.5 ppg) makes opponents pay (led SEC with 39 sacks) with DE Tyson Jackson (8 sacks), S LaRon Landry (68 tackles, 2 ints.) the big hitters. The last time LSU played in Sugar Bowl, Tigers beat Oklahoma to earn 2003 BCS national title and should enjoy huge home crowd advantage. In losses to only two top-10 teams they played (USC and Michigan), Irish were outscored, 91-45, and looked outclassed. Protecting QB Brady Quinn (school records with 35 TD passes this season, 93 for his career) is a must to have any chance and ND hasn't exactly done that too well (92nd in nation with 30 sacks allowed). So Weis and his staff may have to change up some of their protection schemes. Irish's so-so defense (45th in nation in total defense, 320.1 ypg) is worst of the 10 BCS bowl teams. They've got to make some plays early to gain confidence -- perhaps pressuring Russell, who did throw 6 ints. vs. blitzing defenses of Florida and Tennessee.
What: Sugar BowlWhere: New OrleansGame time: 8 p.m.TV: (17/62) (8) (53)Coaches: Les Miles (21-4 in second year at LSU) and Charlie Weis (19-5 in second year at Notre Dame).Payout: Each school receives 17 million.Bowl records: LSU is 18-18-1. Notre Dame is 13-14.Last bowl: LSU beat Miami, 40-3, in last year's Peach Bowl. Notre Dame lost to Ohio State, 35-21, in last year's Fiesta Bowl.Series history: Notre Dame leads, 5-4.Last meeting: Notre Dame won, 39-36, in 1998.Last game: LSU won at Arkansas, 31-26, on Nov. 24. Notre Dame lost at USC, 44-24, Nov. 25.Stat that matters: Fighting Irish's eight-game bowl losing streak is longest in nation as ND has given up 34 points per loss over streak.Game facts: After surviving wicked schedule that included four road games to top 10 teams, Tigers might be playing as well as anybody in nation with six-game winning streak. QB JaMarcus Russell (led SEC, third in nation in QB rating for season, 52-of-79, 640 passing, 8 TDs, 0 ints. in last three games) has been superb while attacking defense (third in nation in total defense, 238.7 ypg, fifth in scoring, 12.5 ppg) makes opponents pay (led SEC with 39 sacks) with DE Tyson Jackson (8 sacks), S LaRon Landry (68 tackles, 2 ints.) the big hitters. The last time LSU played in Sugar Bowl, Tigers beat Oklahoma to earn 2003 BCS national title and should enjoy huge home crowd advantage. In losses to only two top-10 teams they played (USC and Michigan), Irish were outscored, 91-45, and looked outclassed. Protecting QB Brady Quinn (school records with 35 TD passes this season, 93 for his career) is a must to have any chance and ND hasn't exactly done that too well (92nd in nation with 30 sacks allowed). So Weis and his staff may have to change up some of their protection schemes. Irish's so-so defense (45th in nation in total defense, 320.1 ypg) is worst of the 10 BCS bowl teams. They've got to make some plays early to gain confidence -- perhaps pressuring Russell, who did throw 6 ints. vs. blitzing defenses of Florida and Tennessee.