Fisher has year added to deal

Florida State extended coach Jimbo Fisher's contract through the 2016 season.

The school announced the one-year extension to Fisher's current contract before the kickoff of Thursday's Champs Sports Bowl against Notre Dame.

Fisher signed a five-year, $13.75 million contract in February after going 10-4 during the 2010 season, his first as head coach.

FSU finished the regular season 8-4 in 2011, his second season after taking over for longtime Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden.

Officials said Fisher's annual salary won't change under the new one-year extension.

Shaw makes most of homecoming

Few players were more excited about Florida State's appearance in the Champs Sports Bowl than sophomore WR Kenny Shaw.

In the days leading up to the game, the Orlando product said he hoped throughout his high school career to play a state championship game in Orlando's Citrus Bowl Stadium, but his Dr. Phillips team always fell short.

On Thursday, Shaw finally got his chance to play in his hometown stadium, and he made the most of it. Shaw caught four passes for 64 yards.

Joyner breaks out

Florida State's Lamarcus Joyner capped an impressive sophomore season with a brilliant performance against the Fighting Irish.

On special teams, Joyner broke free for a 77-yard kickoff return that set up Florida State's first points of the game — a 42-yard field by Dustin Hopkins.

It went down as the third-longest kickoff return in Champs Sports Bowl history.

But Joyner might have done his biggest damage on defense, where he was all over the field and intercepted a pass in the end zone.

Rare miscue

Fisher had to expect that there would be some mistakes on a night when he flooded the field with true freshmen on offense, but a fumble by RB Devonta Freeman had to be far down on the list of potential miscues.

Freeman, whose first-quarter fumble led to Notre Dame's first touchdown, was the first lost fumble by the Seminoles' leading rusher this season. In fact, it was only the second lost fumble by a Florida State running back all season.

After that group went 11 games without a turnover, senior Jermaine Thomas lost one in the Seminoles' victory at Florida in late November.

'Noles nuggets

Sophomore WR Jarred "Scooter" Haggins did not suit up after injuring his leg during bowl practice. … The official attendance for Thursday's game was 68,305 — a record for the Champs Sports Bowl.

Ira Schoffel, Tallahassee Democrat; The Associated Press