On one side, a blossoming dynasty from the college football capital of the Deep South. On the other, the sport's most famous team, trying to reclaim its place among the elite.

Notre Dame and Alabama finished in the top two spots in the final BCS standings released Sunday. The legendary programs

bring star power and power football to the Discover BCS National Championship.

That matchup was certain after Notre Dame finished 12-0 and Alabama won the SEC Championship Game.

The other BCS bowls weren't so clear until Sunday night and Mid-American champion Northern Illinois crashed the party.

Northern Illinois finished No. 15 to bust the BCS and will play Florida State in the Discover Orange Bowl.

The remaining BCS bowls are: No. 3 Florida (11-1) vs. Big East champion Louisville (10-2) in the Allstate Sugar Bowl, No. 5 Kansas State (11-1) vs. No. 4 Oregon (11-1) in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, and No. 6 Stanford (11-2) vs. Big Ten champion Wisconsin (8-5) in the Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio.

To earn the bid, NIU (12-1) finished in the top 16 and ahead of at least one conference champion from an automatic qualifying conference. Northern Illinois is ranked above both the Big East's Louisville and the Big Ten's Wisconsin.

NIU's guaranteed spot knocked out No. 11 Oklahoma, projected as an at-large selection, from going to the Sugar Bowl.

As for the main event, it's No. 1 Notre Dame against No. 2 Alabama in Miami on Jan. 7.

The Irish clinched their spot a week ago in Los Angeles by completing a perfect season against rival Southern California.

"The tradition of Alabama and Notre Dame brings special attention to it, but we're just trying to the best team on Monday, Jan. 7," Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said Sunday night. "All of that tradition, what's happened in the past, is not going to help us Jan. 7, but we do respect the traditions."

Alabama earned its spot Saturday, beating Georgia 32-28 in a thrilling Southeastern Conference title game.

The program that coach Paul Bryant turned into an SEC behemoth in the 1960s and 70s, winning five national championships and sharing another during his tenure, is again dominating college football with a modern-day version of the Bear leading the way in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Coach Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide are on the verge of one of the great runs in history. Alabama would become the first team to repeat as champs since the Bowl Championship Series was implemented in 1998, and it would be the 11th time a team has won consecutive AP titles since the poll started in 1936. Alabama is already one of seven programs to repeat. The Tide has done it twice. Notre Dame is another.