You can have your USC vs. UCLA, Oklahoma vs. Texas, Michigan vs. Ohio State, Alabama vs. Auburn or Florida vs. Florida State, but I say the most important, heated college football rivalry in the past 30 years or so was Notre Dame vs. Miami. And we might finally see “Catholics vs. Convicts” face off again.

For what it’s worth, that “Convicts” term no longer applies – if it ever did – to Miami as no player under Coach Randy Shannon has ever been arrested. In fact, Notre Dame has had more off-field issues than Miami has of late. But I digress.

Apparently the two schools are close to agreeing to a deal to play three games, with the first coming in 2012 at Chicago’s Soldier Field. Then they would have a home-and home swap in 2014 and 2016.

Notre Dame and Miami last played each other in 1990. One of the great games in college history was when the Fighting Irish beat then-No. 1 Miami 31-30 in October 1988 on the way to the national championship. Pat Terrell’s break-up of a potential game-winning two-point pass by Steve Walsh is one of the signature plays of the 1980s. By the way, that game in South Bend was the first time this series was dubbed “Catholics vs. Convicts” after a Notre Dame student printed shirts with the slogan. The teams have met 23 times overall, with Notre Dame leading the all-time series 15-7-1.

The Irish are looking to play a neutral-site game every season to extend their national brand. Last season the team played Washington State in San Antonio. This year Notre Dame plays Army at the first football game ever at the new Yankee Stadium. In 2011, the Irish play Maryland at FedEx Field, home of the Washington Redskins.

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