Reports: Pinstripe takes Notre Dame

— -- Notre Dame plans to accept a bid to the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium, according to multiple reports.

A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press that Notre Dame officials have informed bowl organizers that the Fighting Irish will play in the Dec. 28 game in New York against a team from the American Athletic Conference.

CBSSports.com earlier reported Notre Dame's decision.

With a Rutgers win against South Florida on Saturday night, the Scarlet Knights are expected to receive the other Pinstripe bid, a bowl source told ESPN's Brett McMurphy.

If Rutgers (5-6) loses, then Houston (8-4) would play Notre Dame. A Rutgers victory against USF would likely send Houston to the BBVA Compass Bowl in Birmingham, Ala., Jan. 4 against an SEC opponent.

The Fighting Irish were left without a pre-arranged bowl destination this season. Notre Dame's final choice came down to the Hawaii Bowl or the Pinstripe Bowl. The Poinsettia Bowl in San Diego also was a possibility.

Notre Dame (8-4) regularly tries to play games in the New York area, where it has a large following. The Irish played Army in a regular-season game at Yankee Stadium in 2010, the first college football game at the new stadium. Notre Dame will play Syracuse next season at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.

Notre Dame didn't have a contractual tie-in with any bowls this season, so in a sense it was BCS or bust. The Irish were left to wait for spots to open in third-tier games. The Big 12 didn't have enough bowl-eligible teams to fill its spot in the Pinstripe Bowl.

The Pinstripe Bowl becomes a Big Ten-Atlantic Coast Conference game starting in 2014. Notre Dame joins the ACC next season, though not for football. It will have access to the ACC's bowl lineup.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.