The Fiesta Bowl has perhaps the top matchup of the Bowl season with the obvious exception of the Rose Bowl which pits top-ranked USC against second-ranked Texas for the national title. The Irish and Buckeyes have met just four times prior to Monday's Fiesta Bowl showdown, twice in the 1930s and twice in the '90s and they have never met in a bowl game. Against that backdrop, the fourth-ranked Buckeyes face the fifth-ranked Irish on Monday in the Fiesta Bowl. Coach Weis has Notre Dame back among the elite programs in one year with a 9-2 record this year. Notre Dames two loses were 44-41 to Michigan State in overtime and 34-31 to No. 1 USC on Matt Leinart's 1-yard run with three seconds left.
The matchup here points to Notre Dame's strong offense, directed by junior quarterback Brady Quinn, against Ohio State's powerful defense, anchored by A.J. Hawk, winner of the Lombardi Award as the nation's top defensive lineman or linebacker. There is no doubt, the Buckeyes' defense is the best Notre Dame has faced all season.
Everyone knows about how Brady Quinn emerged from two years of struggle under Tyrone Willingham to thrive in the Patriots' complicated offense installed by Weis. There are not too many people who know alot about the Buckeyes QB Troy Smith. The passer was suspended from the Alamo Bowl last year and the opener this season for accepting $500 from a booster. Smith has come back to lead his team with improved production as this year progressed. In the regular-season finale, a 25-21 victory at Michigan, Ohio State trailed 21-12 with 7:49 to play, but Smith engineered touchdown drives of 69 and 88 yards. For the year, the signal-caller completed over 60 percent of his passes on the year, for nearly 2,000 yards and 14 TDs, while rushing for an additional 545 yards and a team-high 11 TDs.Smith is sixth nationally in passing efficiency, Quinn fourth.
The Irish finished strong with five consecutive victories to advance to their first BCS Bowl since 2001. That season, Notre Dame was demolished in this same Fiesta Bowl, by Oregon State (41-9). In all, the Irish are making their fourth appearance in the Fiesta Bowl and their 27th bowl appearance overall. They are looking to bring an end to an ugly seven-game postseason losing streak. Jim Tressell's Buckeyes will do everything in their power to keep UND's postseason skein going, as they bring an identical 9-2 record into this matchup.
Under Tressell, the Buckeyes have been to four bowl games, including two BCS tilts. Both of those BCS wins have come in the Fiesta Bowl, including a victory over Miami-Florida in the 2003 event to capture the national title.
The Buckeyes were able to move the football up and down the field this season thanks to a balanced attack that generated just over 400 yards of total offense per game. The ground game accounted for almost 200 yards per outing (189.5), while the passing attack put up just over 215 yards (215.1). Tailback Antonio Pittman was a perfect workhorse type of back, averaging 5.4 yards per carry and rushing for 1,195 yards and six TDs. Of course, the vertical game is always a threat with talented wideouts like Santonio Holmes and Ted Ginn Jr. roaming the field. Holmes led the team in receptions (48), receiving yards (853) and TDs (10), while Ginn Jr. wasn't far behind (43 receptions, for 636 yards and three TDs). The explosive Ginn Jr. also returned a punt and a kickoff for TDs this season, demonstrating his explosive play anytime he was on the field.
I like Ohio State here. I think they have the defense to stop Notre Dame's potent offense. I think the biggest matchup problem comes on the other side of the ball for Notre Dame as Ohio State should be able to move the ball up and down the field on the Irish. I expect Jim Tressell to play "keep away" as Ohio State controls the ball.
COLLEGE BOWL GAME OF THE YEAR 15* OHIO STATE BUCKEYE
The matchup here points to Notre Dame's strong offense, directed by junior quarterback Brady Quinn, against Ohio State's powerful defense, anchored by A.J. Hawk, winner of the Lombardi Award as the nation's top defensive lineman or linebacker. There is no doubt, the Buckeyes' defense is the best Notre Dame has faced all season.
Everyone knows about how Brady Quinn emerged from two years of struggle under Tyrone Willingham to thrive in the Patriots' complicated offense installed by Weis. There are not too many people who know alot about the Buckeyes QB Troy Smith. The passer was suspended from the Alamo Bowl last year and the opener this season for accepting $500 from a booster. Smith has come back to lead his team with improved production as this year progressed. In the regular-season finale, a 25-21 victory at Michigan, Ohio State trailed 21-12 with 7:49 to play, but Smith engineered touchdown drives of 69 and 88 yards. For the year, the signal-caller completed over 60 percent of his passes on the year, for nearly 2,000 yards and 14 TDs, while rushing for an additional 545 yards and a team-high 11 TDs.Smith is sixth nationally in passing efficiency, Quinn fourth.
The Irish finished strong with five consecutive victories to advance to their first BCS Bowl since 2001. That season, Notre Dame was demolished in this same Fiesta Bowl, by Oregon State (41-9). In all, the Irish are making their fourth appearance in the Fiesta Bowl and their 27th bowl appearance overall. They are looking to bring an end to an ugly seven-game postseason losing streak. Jim Tressell's Buckeyes will do everything in their power to keep UND's postseason skein going, as they bring an identical 9-2 record into this matchup.
Under Tressell, the Buckeyes have been to four bowl games, including two BCS tilts. Both of those BCS wins have come in the Fiesta Bowl, including a victory over Miami-Florida in the 2003 event to capture the national title.
The Buckeyes were able to move the football up and down the field this season thanks to a balanced attack that generated just over 400 yards of total offense per game. The ground game accounted for almost 200 yards per outing (189.5), while the passing attack put up just over 215 yards (215.1). Tailback Antonio Pittman was a perfect workhorse type of back, averaging 5.4 yards per carry and rushing for 1,195 yards and six TDs. Of course, the vertical game is always a threat with talented wideouts like Santonio Holmes and Ted Ginn Jr. roaming the field. Holmes led the team in receptions (48), receiving yards (853) and TDs (10), while Ginn Jr. wasn't far behind (43 receptions, for 636 yards and three TDs). The explosive Ginn Jr. also returned a punt and a kickoff for TDs this season, demonstrating his explosive play anytime he was on the field.
I like Ohio State here. I think they have the defense to stop Notre Dame's potent offense. I think the biggest matchup problem comes on the other side of the ball for Notre Dame as Ohio State should be able to move the ball up and down the field on the Irish. I expect Jim Tressell to play "keep away" as Ohio State controls the ball.
COLLEGE BOWL GAME OF THE YEAR 15* OHIO STATE BUCKEYE
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