Tradition-rich Notre Dame will play the University of Hawai'i football team

in the Dec. 24 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl, it was confirmed today.

Officials said the NCAA gave its blessing to the match-up this afternoon, the

last hurdle to pairing the 7-6 Warriors and the 6-6 Irish.

"Notre Dame is a storied football tradition and we are honored to have them

both (of) them ... in our 2008 game," said David A. K. Matlin, the game's

executive director.

Notre Dame made the Hawai'i Bowl its preference over four other suitors

Saturday, a move endorsed by its players.

It will be the second time UH and the Irish have met. Notre Dame won both

previous games, 48-42 in 1991, and and 23-22 in 1997 at Aloha Stadium.

The Irish also appeared in the 1984 Aloha Bowl, losing to Southern

Methodist, 27-20.

The Irish will be out to end their NCAA-record nine-game bowl losing streak.

Notre Dame Charlie Weis will be making his third trip to Hawai'i this season.

He made two quick recruiting trips earlier without ever spending the night. The first was back in mid-October, during Notre Dame's bye week, and the second was last week, while waiting to see if athletic director Jack Swarbrick would bring him back for a fifth season as Irish coach.

Both trips were to try to recruit Punahou linebacker Manti Te'o, one of the nation's top-rated recruits.

Notre Dame planned to hold a news conference Monday about the bowl selection, but Weis released a statement tonight saying the team was excited about playing in the Hawai'i Bowl.

"This is a great opportunity for our team to face a quality opponent in their backyard and we'll need to be ready," he said. "I know the extra practices this month will really benefit our team and we look forward to ending this season on a good note."