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LSU is favored against Notre Dame on Monday in Orlando. Getty

Once again, the No. 14 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (9-3) and the No. 16 LSU Tigers (9-3) will meet in a bowl game. On New Years Day in Orlando, the two storied programs battle for the Citrus Bowl.

The matchup marks the third time Notre Dame and LSU have faced off in a bowl game in over two decades and the fourth time overall. Notre Dame won the last matchup on a late field goal, 31-28, on Dec. 30, 2014, in the Music City Bowl. But LSU won the previous two bowl games, with a convincing 41-14 victory in the 2007 Sugar Bowl and a 27-9 win in the 1997 Independence Bowl.

It's been a comeback season for Notre Dame. After suffering through a 4-8 season in 2016, Brian Kelly's squad lost by just one point to highly touted Georgia and earned big wins over USC and North Carolina State to finish with a strong 9-3 record.

LSU improved on their 8-4 record in 2016, as well, but with some notable setbacks. The Tigers were handed a 37-7 loss at Mississippi State on Sept. 16 in the largest margin of defeat to the Bulldogs in the 111-game series. Two weeks later, the Tigers were upset by Troy in Death Valley. But wins against Auburn and Florida, along with a three-game winning streak entering the Citrus Bowl, have helped salvage the season.

There are some notable players to watch for in the matchup.

Notre Dame leading rusher Josh Adams is coming off a disappointing performance against Stanford, rushing for just 49 yards on 20 carries. But the junior has rushed for over 100 yards in a game seven times this season and could skip his senior year and enter the NFL Draft. Offensive coordinator Chip Long recently said that Adams is "one of the hardest working superstars I've ever been around."

LSU quarterback Danny Etling grew up a Fighting Irish fan in Terre Haute, Indiana, but was overlooked by Notre Dame. The senior has been effective to end the season, throwing just one interception in his last seven games.

Another interesting storyline centers around LSU's offensive coordinator. The Advocate in Baton Rouge reported that LSU and Matt Canada are parting ways after the game.

Betting Line: LSU -3

Over/Under: 51.5 points

Start Time: 1 p.m. ET

TV Channel: ABC

Live Stream: Watch ESPN, Watch ESPN apps

Prediction: LSU over Notre Dame, 27-17