Ring in the New Year with the “Best of The Rest” Bowl between Oklahoma State’s Cowboys and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. When the dust settled upon the conclusion of the 2021 campaign, both powerhouse programs found themselves on the outside looking in. Instead of participating in the College Football Playoff, the committee’s fifth and ninth ranked programs face off in one of the New Year’s Six’s best: The PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.
Saturday’s matinee marks the head coaching debut for Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman. Freeman, formerly the Irish’s Defensive Coordinator, lunged for the top job following the unceremonious departure of Brian Kelly to Louisiana State.
Notre Dame comes into the contest sporting an 11-1 record with their only blemish against Cincinnati at home. Oklahoma State enters the ring at 11-2 with their most recent loss in the Big 12 Championship against Baylor. Both squads brought the pain on defense and kept the same vibe on offense. The Cowboys and the Fighting Irish each championed backs with one-thousand yards on the ground during the season. However, the Cowboys have the edge in the defensive battle after finishing third in total defense and fifth specifically against the run.
Difference Makers
Quite possibly the largest factor heading into Saturday’s battle is the noticeable absence of Notre Dame’s stud half back Kyren Williams. He joined top NFL Draft prospect and Irish safety Kyle Hamilton in opting out of the Fiesta Bowl in order to better prepare for the upcoming draft season
For the Cowboys, running back Jaylen Warren is a question mark entering the game after missing the Big 12 Championship, but is reportedly 100%.
With Williams out for the Irish and Warren potentially banged up heading into play, the emphasis and the stakes for the quarterbacks is reaching new heights. Spencer Sanders owns the job in Stillwater as his junior campaign comes to a close. For the Irish, Jack Coan receives a large majority of the snaps after transferring into the program from Wisconsin after 2020, but keep an eye out for the wickedly athletic freshman Tyler Buchner. Coan’s play inproved as the season progressed, and Irish Offensive Coordinator and former quarterback Tommy Rees’ impact on Buchner is noticeable.
While Coan’s numbers look better than Sanders’, it’s somewhat due to an offensive attack predicated on the run and splash plays downfield. The run and splash plays don’t quite bode well against a stout Cowboys defense. The steady-enough hand of Spencer Sanders probably gives an edge to the Sooners in this phase, too.
Party, Karamu, Fiesta Bowl Forever
The 2022 PlayStation Fiesta Bowl comes down to coaching. Arguably favored through the tangibles of player speed and skill, the Cowboys should have the edge. But it’s not that simple…
Mike Gundy has been the head honcho in Stillwater since 2005 and has compiled a record of 137-67. In addition, the Cowboys have made a bowl game in every year except his first. Meanwhile, Marcus Freeman makes his debut Saturday. But Freeman’s defense and likability isn’t something to turn blind-eye on either.
Considering Notre Dame’s two best players won’t be on the field and Oklahoma State likely gets a healthy Jaylen Warren in time, this should be a smash-mouth game with plenty of big hits and maybe a few turnovers. I tend to lean u45.5, but give me the Cowboys +1 against the spread and the moneyline.
How To Watch:
January 1st, 2021
1:00 PM EST
ESPN