OT: NIKE -- I've Got To Hand It To You...

This is pretty awesome...

Nike has created a "base layer" (this is the latest rage in uniform design) for Ohio State to wear in the upcoming College Football Playoff that features WOODY HAYES' last few chalkboard sessions as a head coach for the Buckeyes.

The "68" is a shout out to their 1968 National Championship team.

BRILLIANT!

ND FANS will get a kick out of this Woody Hayes' WIKI entry:

During his tenure at Ohio State, Hayes would joke that he considered himself to be Notre Dame's best recruiter because if he could not convince a recruit to come to Ohio State instead of Michigan he would try to steer the recruit to Notre Dame, whom Ohio State did not play. 

While Hayes' public stance was that he refused to play Notre Dame because he was afraid of polarizing the Catholic population in Ohio, Notre Dame's long-time athletic director Moose Krause said that Hayes had told him that Hayes liked having Michigan as the only tough game on the Ohio State schedule and that having the Buckeyes play Notre Dame would detract from that.  

Domer Jeff Samardzija Traded To White Sox

Former Notre Dame All-America wide receiver Jeff Samardzija is headed "back" to Chicago to play professional ball -- this time for the White Sox.

LINK:  SAMARDZIJA TO WHITE SOX

Notre Dame Men's Basketball Ranked #25 !!!

The Associated Press Poll is out and Notre Dame has cracked the AP TOP 25 with their win this past week against Michigan State. 

Notre Dame is one of "six ACC teams" ranked among the Top 25.

LINK:  AP TOP 25

Brian Kelly Talks Music City Bowl & L.S.U.

Yesterday afternoon, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame accepted an invitation to play in the Music City Bowl on December 30th against the Tigers of Louisiana State University.  This will be Notre Dame's first trip to play in the Music City Bowl and the eleventh game in history against L.S.U.

Notre Dame is 5 - 5 all-time against Louisiana State University.

Coach Kelly met with the media last night to talk about the game and his team -- just click on the link below:

LINK:  BRIAN KELLY TALKS MUSIC CITY BOWL

Notre Dame to Play LSU in the Music City Bowl!

The Fighting Irish will be traveling to Nashville to play a (8 - 4) LSU team in the Music City Bowl on December 30, 2014.

LINK:  BUY YOUR TICKETS RIGHT HERE!

Photos: Kelly Cares "Shopping Spree" at Meijer

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly was over at Meijer's today with a number of his players and his wife Pacqui for their annual "shopping spree" for 109 kids from the Michiana area...

LINK:  FIGHTING IRISH DIGITAL MEDIA

Here's the local media coverage of the event:

LINK:  WNDU-TV

LINK:  WSBT-TV

LINK:  ABC-57

ACC Announces Notre Dame's Bowl at 5:30 PM

If you'd like to watch the LIVE ANNOUNCEMENT of where Notre Dame will be headed to play a BOWL GAME -- click on the link below:

LINK:  LIVE ANNOUNCEMENT AT 5:30 PM ET -- RIGHT HERE!

Coach Kelly Talks Bowl Game Today at 6:15 PM

Notre Dame head football coach Brian Kelly will be meeting with the media today at 6:15 PM ET to talk about the MUSIC CITY BOWL and L.S.U.

You can watch this LIVE at the link below:

LINK:  COACH KELLY TALKS BOWL GAME

Muffet & Geno After UCONN Beat ND Today

The Fighting Irish played their second game in a row against UCONN without their "tallest starter" -- and we experienced a similar result...

LINK:  MUFFET POST GAME

LINK:  GENO POST GAME

Skylar Diggins' STACK Cover Shoot in NYC

Former Notre Dame All-American Skylar Diggins is the subject of this MUST SEE video for Fighting Irish fans!

Maybe we'll see her courtside at Purcell Pavilion today to root on the IRISH!

LINK:  SKYLAR

South Bend Media Talks ND Bowl Options

Here's a local TV report featuring WSBT-TV's Pete Byrne and the South Bend Tribune's Notre Dame beat writer Eric Hansen -- talking Notre Dame football'S bowl options...

LINK:  BOWL OPTIONS FOR IRISH

Fighting Irish on ESPN Today at 3:15 PM ET

The #1 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish take on #3 UCONN today at 3:15 PM ET in a nationally televised game on ESPN.

LINK:  GO IRISH!

Izzo & Valentine Talk OT Loss to Notre Dame

I just found these this morning -- here's what Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo and star guard Denzel Valentine had to say after their 79 - 78 OT loss to our Fighting Irish Wednesday night.

LINK:  IZZO #1

LINK:  IZZO #2

LINK:  VALENTINE

ESPN Looks at UCONN vs. NOTRE DAME

It's the biggest rivalry in all of women's sport -- UCONN vs. Notre Dame.  You can watch it today on ESPN at 3:15 PM ET.  

In the photo above that's Muffet on the left and UCONN coach Geno Auriemma on the right!

In the story linked below -- ESPN's Graham Hayes looks at this rivalry. You're going to want to read this!

LINK:  ESPN

UCONN Talking About Game Against IRISH!

The two biggest names in women's college basketball meet again tomorrow -- this time in Notre Dame, IN.

The game will be nationally televised by ESPN -- again, proof of the importance of this game.

Here's what's being said by that team from Storrs -- click on the links below:

LINK:  NEWS TIMES

LINK:  HARTFORD CURANT

LINK:  BOSTON HERALD

Sunday's ACC "Notre Dame Lottery" for Bowls

You know this hasn't happened before in the ACC -- the use of a lottery to pick the BOWL that will host a team who doesn't belong to the ACC...

LINK:  CHARLOTTE OBSERVER

How Notre Dame Wins This Game Over MSU!

It's been about 22 hours since #22 and #11 led Mike Brey's Fighting Irish with clutch plays down the stretch to beat #18 Michigan State 79 - 78 in OT.  A game the "stat man" says the Spartans win every time...

KEY STATS:

• Field Goal %:  MSU .492% vs. ND .464%
• 3 Pointers Made:  MSU (9 - 17 .529%) vs. ND (7 - 23 .304%)
• Rebounds:  MSU 43 vs. ND 26

The game ended up being decided at the FOUL LINE:  ND (20 - 25 .80%) vs. MSU (5 - 9 .56%)

Here's a video of Coach Brey in the locker room after the game along with a second link to game highlights.  BIG WIN FOR THE IRISH!

LINK:  COACH BREY

LINK:  GAME HIGHLIGHTS

Notre Dame #1 Shooting Team in the Country!

Mike Brey's Fighting Irish are the #1 team in the country in field goal percentage -- by a wide margin over the other 350 colleges in the NCAA Division I -- hitting 58% of their shots this season!

We will be tested tonight with Tom Izzo's defense...

ADDITIONAL FUN FACTS ABOUT NOTRE DAME'S OFFENSIVE PROWESS:

• #9 in the country in points per game:  86.3
• #9 in the country in total three-point field goals made: 69
• #14 in the country in three-point %:  43%
• #15 in the country in assists per game:  17.9

Here's the NCAA stats:

LINK:  FIELD GOAL % RANKINGS

Notre Dame to Unveil New Under Armour Shoes

Here's what the Fighting Irish will be wearing for the first time tonight -- in the game against #18 Michigan State.

If you'd like to buy your own pair -- click on the link below:

LINK:  BUY WHAT THE IRISH WEAR!

MSU vs. ND on ESPN2 Tonight at 7:15 PM ET

Mike Brey's Fighting Irish's first big "TEST" of the season happens tonight when Tom Izzo and his Michigan State Spartans invade Purcell Pavilion.

The game will be televised on ESPN2 -- beginning at 7:15 PM ET.

To get you ready for the action -- click on the link below -- and check out Notre Dame's NEW UNDER ARMOUR SHOES!

LINK:  GAME PRIMER

LINK:  GAME NOTES