2011 Champs Sports Bowl, Notre Dame Vs. FSU: Noles Complete Comeback, Win 18-14

Early in the second half, there was a time Florida State had more return yardage that yards produced by its offense. The Notre Dame defense had held the Seminoles scoreless through the first half in 30 minutes of football that were better suited for napping than viewership. But in the second half, both teams came to life, and Florida State began to pile up the points.

Notre Dame opened up a 14-0 lead on an impressive juggling touchdown catch by Michael Floyd. At the time, it felt like Florida State was all but dead, unable to mount any kind of serious offensive charge and trailing by 14. But Notre Dame would go silent as the Seminoles put up 18 unanswered points -- 15 of which came in the fourth quarter -- to down the Fighting Irish in the Champs Sports Bowl, 18-14.

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For more on the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl, visit FSU blog Tomahawk Nation and Notre Dame blog One Foot Down. Stick with SB Nation’s college football blogs and college football news hub.

NOTE: Confused? See the quick glossary at the bottom.

It’s funny how things work out. Each year, we can count on certain historical powers to be overrated and overestimated by the talking heads of the college football world. Nebraska, Florida State, Michigan, Notre Dame ... at least a couple of them are going to be given the benefit of the doubt, then called disappointments when they inevitably don’t live up to unrealistic expectations.

While a matchup between Florida State and Notre Dame does not quite carry the cache that it once did, the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl does signal the first time these teams have met since 2003. A lot has clearly changed since then, with both building solid teams that showed promise but fell short of expectations. OK, so maybe not all that much has changed.

Elite matchup or not, this game is not without intrigue. Both teams come in at 8-4 and the Fighting Irish have a chance to win more games than any year since 2006, the last time they were in a BCS bowl.

Jimbo Fisher hasn’t declared Reed ready to go, but he seems optimistic.

For more on the Champs Sports Bowl, visit FSU blog Tomahawk Nation and Notre Dame blog One Foot Down.

Florida State senior running back Jermaine Thomas has been ruled academically ineligible for the 2011 Champs Sports Bowl, the Associated Press reports.

Thomas’ 48-game collegiate career will end with him rushing for 2,083 yards and 19 touchdowns rushing with 44 receptions for 443 yards and two touchdowns as a receiver. Thomas’ top season came in 2009, when the then-sophomore led the Seminoles with 832 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.

Florida State’s Avis Commack was arrested early in the weekend for the alleged theft of an iPad, making for an important lesson about patience:

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Jenkins allegedly stole a motorcycle, but, as Florida State beat writer Bob Ferrante reports, his alleged quote on that subject is likely to become message board legend:

Arrested FSU LB Arrington Jenkins allegedly said: “Anyone who leaves a motorcycle out in the open should expect to have it stolen.“Ferrante additionally reports that the motorcycle was recovered and returned to its original owner with significant damage.

Fox Sports’ Lisa Horne tweeted the news from the ceremony.

It was later confirmed by Brian Hamilton of the Chicago Sun-Times.