Elliott Stars For Ohio State: College Football Scores: Jan. 1

That’s how Notre Dame was able to stay in a game that looked as if Ohio State might run away and hide. All-America linebacker Jaylon Smith went down with a “significant knee injury” according to Kelly during the first quarter.

Hurd, voted the Outback Bowl MVP, had a big second half on his way to 130 yards on 24 carries and scored a touchdown.

Elliott scored Ohio State’s first touchdown and its final three.

Those skills should translate well in the NFL. Although they were disappointed that they were not playing at a shot for a National Championship, they were satisfied a bit with a win.

Bosa, RB Ezekiel Elliot and QB Cardale Jones have declared for the NFL Draft, coach Urban Meyer said Thursday.

Because of those injuries, a number of younger players got their opportunity to step up including quarterback DeShone Kizer and running back Josh Adams.

Justin Ferguson is a college football writer at Bleacher Report.

But the spirit of a team that fought its way to a 10-win season could be summed up in the way Notre Dame responded to the devastating blow to Smith in the early going, another issue when his replacement, Te’von Coney, was banged up and standout defensive tackle Sheldon Day’s battling through a foot injury and an illness he came down with late in the week.

Elliott was Ohio State’s drive capper in the first half, scoring on three short runs.

“It’s been a wild journey with this team, something I couldn’t even imagine”, Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple said.

Both the Buckeyes and Irish lost their best defensive players in the first quarter. “I just remember looking them all right in the eye and saying, ‘We need a fast start'”.

Notre Dame missed its CFP chance by four points, two-point losses to Clemson and Stanford. Ohio State didn’t beat Michigan State, a game that turned out to be the Big Ten East title game, and lost any right to be considered for the four-team playoff.

Entering the Fiesta Bowl, Elliott led the FBS in rushing yards (3,550) over the past two seasons. He intercepted a pass in the first quarter that was negated by the targeting call on Bosa that resulted in the defensive end’s suspension. In that respect, the Notre Dame football program has made great strides in the past four years.

Elliott, another potential first-round pick, was the Buckeyes’ punctuation mark, scoring on a pair of 1-yard runs and another from 2 yards.

Watching from the stands, Bosa’s younger brother Nick, a member of Ohio State’s 2016 recruiting class, had the ideal response. Elliott’s 47-yard touchdown run helped the Irish avoid another red-zone miscue, but it nothing to assist Notre Dame in its battle to overcome a deficit that was in effect for 54:53 of the game.

“He’s a physical back”.

Braxton Miller, who was the Buckeyes starting quarterback for three seasons is still with the team, but he played wide receiver this season.

Dobbs scored on runs 14 and 18 yards, and Jalen Hurd rushed for 130 yards and one TD for the Volunteers (9-4), who finished with at least nine wins for the first time since 2007. They would score just two plays later when Kizer hit junior wide receiver Will Fuller for an 81 yard touchdown.

But the Buckeyes would dominate the clock in the fourth quarter – eating up 10:49 of the 15 minutes – and the Irish never threatened again. His backup would eventually go down as well, and a roster stretched perilously thin all season finally couldn’t hold together enough to stick with the Buckeyes in a 44-28 loss.

Kizer finished with 284 passing yards on 22-of-37 with two touchdowns and an interception, while also adding 21 rushing yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.