The Notre Dame Fighting Irish face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day, which features two of the best programs in the country not to make the College Football Playoff. The Fighting Irish lost their chance at making the playoffs after falling short to Stanford in the regular season finale, and head coach Brian Kelly will look for his team to bounce back against Ohio State on Friday. The Buckeyes finished the season with an 11-1 record, and head coach Urban Meyer will look for his team to keep the momentum rolling after ending the season with a dominating win over rival Michigan.
The Buckeyes are one of the best programs in the nation, but they fell short to repeat as National Champions this season. Ohio State has played two different quarterbacks this year, but both have struggled to move the ball through the air. Buckeyes quarterback Cardale Jones has already announced that he plans to apply for the 2016 NFL Draft, but quarterback J.T. Barrett is expected to start for the Buckeyes as he has taken over the starting role in the final three games of the season.
The Buckeyes sophomore quarterback has thrown for 781 yards with 10 touchdowns to three interceptions in limited time this season. Barrett has proven that he can be successful through the air, as he put up over 2,800 passing yards and 34 touchdowns in the Buckeyes' 2014 season. Barrett is a dual threat behind center and can keep defenses on their heels, as he has rushed for 586 yards with 11 rushing touchdowns on the year.
The Buckeyes rely heavily on their ground game, and look for star running back Ezekiel Elliott to get plenty of touches early. Elliott has already declared that he will enter the 2016 NFL Draft, and he is expected to be an instant impact at the next level. The Buckeyes junior running back has had another incredible season under Urban Meyer, rushing for 1,672 yards and scoring 19 touchdowns. At 6-foot-1, 225-pounds, Elliott is a task to bring down, and the Fighting Irish will have to swarm around the ball to tackle this talented running back.
While the Buckeyes have a ton of talent on offense, their most coveted player is on their defensive line in Joey Bosa. The Ohio State star defensive lineman has 16 tackles for a loss, five sacks, and an interception. Bosa is considered by many to be the top prospect in all of college football and will likely be lined up across from Notre Dame offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, who is also expected to be a first-round pick. While Bosa won't be lined up across Stanley for the entire game, it will be an interesting matchup to watch, as both players are expected to have an immediate impact in the NFL.
Stanley will look to protect backup quarterback DeShone Kizer, who has played incredibly well since Notre Dame lost quarterback Malik Zaire with a fractured ankle. The sophomore quarterback has arguably earned himself the starting spot in 2016 and has thrown for 2,600 yards with 19 touchdowns to nine interceptions. Kizer is a consistent threat with the ball in his hands, as he can make the deep throw, but has also rushed for 499 yards and scored nine touchdowns.
The Fighting Irish will also get a huge boost with the return of running back C.J. Prosise, as he is expected to play for the first time since spraining his ankle against Boston College. Despite missing two games with injuries, Prosise still leads the team with 1,032 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. The talented running back makes plays all over the field and has over 300 receiving yards and touchdown as well.
It's been a decade since these programs last faced each other in the Fiesta Bowl in 2006, and while head coaches and the sponsor of the Fiesta Bowl have changed, these powerhouse programs have remained at the top of college football. The game starts at 1 p.m. Eastern Time, and you can watch the live broadcast here. To listen to Notre Dame's radio broadcast, go here, and for the Buckeye's radio broadcast, click here.
