That pair, and others like it, became part of notable trend in the 2024-25 bowl season: 21 of the 30 non-Playoff bowls that aired on an ESPN network through Jan. 2 saw year-over-year viewership increases, the majority of them by 20 percent or more.

This week's trip to South Florida isn't the first homecoming for Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden. He's come back in the years since the end of his tenure as head coach at the University of Miami.