FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) -- One team has made it to South Florida for the BCS championship and the other won't be far behind.
With buses adorned in Notre Dame colors awaiting them on the tarmac, the plane carrying the top-ranked Fighting Irish landed Wednesday afternoon as they begin final preparations for Monday night's national title matchup with No. 2 Alabama.
The Crimson Tide is scheduled to land in Miami later Wednesday.
Grand welcomes are planned for both teams, including water cannon sprays over their planes and greetings from local officials.
After that, the work for both resumes in earnest on Thursday. Both teams have three days of practice scheduled before a walkthrough at Sun Life Stadium on Sunday.