Ohio State cruises past Notre Dame in Fiesta Bowl

Best stat: 12, the number of touchdown runs for Ezekiel Elliott in four career postseason games, after torching Notre Dame for four scores.

Former Notre Dame assistant Urban Meyer’s first game coaching against ND, ended with his 7th ranked Buckeyes beating the Irish 44-28 in the Fiesta Bowl.

With today being the last game of the season for the buckeyes, it was also the last game for numerous players. They may leave the desert wondering what could have been after blowing past another late-season playoff contender. Ohio State scored touchdowns on four of its first five drives, piling up 496 total yards – 285 of them rushing – in an inevitably dominant display.

Bosa and Ohio State teammate running back Ezekiel Elliott announced Thursday that they would make themselves available for the National Football League draft. With Ohio State’s top defensive tackles sidelined either because of suspension (Adolphus Washington) or injury (Tommy Schutt), and then consensus All-America end/tackle Joey Bosa ejected with 5:26 left in the first quarter because of a targeting call, there was an opportunity by the Irish ground attack to exploit those setbacks.

Ohio State, meanwhile, forced Notre Dame into consecutive three-and-outs to open the game, applying constant pressure on quarterback and Central Catholic graduate DeShone Kizer. Kizer had two turnovers in the second half.

“[Elliott’s] a physical back”, said Notre Dame defensive lineman Sheldon Day.

Ohio State would get the ball to begin the second half and it appeared it would be more of the same for the Buckeyes. It’s just, you never really got the sense that Notre Dame had a legitimate chance to win.

_On the offensive: Kizer was 22-for-37 for 284 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for Notre Dame.

“Just like this game won’t define this team, one play doesn’t define a game”, Ferentz said. (We) couldn’t get off the field on third-down situations and had some opportunities offensively that we couldn’t capitalize on.

The Fiesta Bowl was originally created specifically for the Sun Devils – and in the second-ever Fiesta Bowl in 1972, ASU running back Woody Green rushed for four touchdowns in the Devils’ 49-35 victory over Missouri.

“The way they competed this year, regardless of the circumstances, they just keep playing”, Kelly said. “We came up a little short, disappointing, but more importantly, as mad as I am at myself, the disappointment is really the fact that I wasn’t able to take an wonderful group of seniors and awesome football team that we have and try to end the year on a victory”.

“My man Zeke, I am going to miss him but I am glad for him though, that is part of being at Ohio State”, Barrett said.

“I mean I’ve thought about it but I haven’t made a decision”, Marshall said.

Sean Nuremberger kicked three fourth-quarter field goals for the Buckeyes, his last with 2:42 remaining. Brian Kelly should feel good knowing he has two solid quarterbacks that can lead his team.

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