South Florida @ Notre Dame preview

THE STORY: Skip Holtz returns to his alma mater when he brings South Florida to Notre Dame Stadium for the Bulls' first-ever meeting with the No. 18 Fighting Irish. Holtz graduated from Notre Dame in 1986 and was an assistant there from 1990-93 under his father, Lou. Both teams finished with 8-5 records a year ago and will be looking to carry over positive momentum after posting impressive wins in their bowl games.

TV: NBC. LINE: Notre Dame -10.

ABOUT SOUTH FLORIDA (2010: 8-5, 3-4 Big East): The Bulls are led by talented but erratic QB B.J. Daniels, who passed for 1,685 yards and rushed for 259 more in 2010 but threw 13 interceptions. Junior RB Demetris Murray (542 yards) will be pushed for playing time by transfers Darrell Scott (Colorado) and Marcus Shaw. Defensively, South Florida will lean on LB Dede Lattimore (69 tackles) and S Jerrell Young (3 INT) to lead a unit that features several new faces, especially up front.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (2010: 8-5): The Fighting Irish had a tumultuous first season under head coach Brian Kelly but closed with a flurry, winning their last four games. Senior QB Dayne Crist (174-294, 2,033 yards, 15 TD, 7 INT) returns after missing the final month of the season with an injury, and his primary target will again be senior WR Michael Floyd (79 catches, 1,024 yards, 12 TD), an All-America candidate. Junior ILB Manti Te'o (133 tackles) anchors a defense that returns eight starters.

EXTRA POINTS

1. South Florida is one of six teams in the nation to reach postseason play in each year as a BCS conference member and one of just four programs with three consecutive bowl wins.

2. The Bulls will be looking to match the success of other teams who have won in their first trips to Notre Dame Stadium, most recently Tulsa (28-27) last season.

3. Floyd, who already owns the Notre Dame record for career touchdown catches (28), needs just nine catches and 129 yards to become the all-time Irish leader in those categories as well.

PREDICTION: Notre Dame 27, South Florida 17 – Both teams are expected to make progress under second-year head coaches, but the Irish will have home-field advantage as well as the best player on both sides of the ball in Floyd and Te'o. If Daniels can do a better job of avoiding mistakes, however, the Bulls could pull the upset.