Notre Dame and Oklahoma State each won championships over the weekend feeling as though they had a chance to make it to the College Soccer Playoffs. A loss in the Big 12 Championship for the Cowboys and a win by Alabama against Georgia in the SEC Championship eliminated the possibility of both teams.
The two teams will compete now for pride, going head-to-head at the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Day.
Notre Dame 5 (11-1) just missed the playoffs, losing only to No. 4 Cincinnati earlier in the season, but failed to get back into action after the October 2 loss. Oklahoma State No. 9 (11-2) is just a short distance away. inches to win the congress title, just miss the tower in a diving attempt by re-running Dezmon Jackson.
Despite their long history on the stadium, Notre Dame and Oklahoma State have never faced off in a college football game.
Here’s everything you need to know about watching the Fiesta Bowl in 2022.
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When will Fiesta Bowl 2022 take place?
- Day: January 1
- Time: 1 p.m. ET
- TV broadcast: ESPN
- Location: State Farm Stadium
This will be the 51st edition of the Fiesta Bowl. The game has always been played in the Phoenix, Arizona area, and this will be the 16th time it has been played in Glendale, home of the Arizona Cardinals.
Who plays in the 2022 Fiesta Bowl?
This year, No. 5 Notre Dame will take over the No. 9 position for the State of Oklahoma. The Fighting Irish will make their first Fiesta Bowl appearance since 2016, when they lost 44-28 to Ohio State. They are 1-4 every time in the bowl. This will be the Cowboys’ first game at the Fiesta Bowl since 2012, when they beat Stanford 41-38 in extra time. They are 2-0 in Fiesta Bowl history.
Things to know about Notre Dame and the State of Oklahoma?
Cowboy Defense Shutdown
The Big 12 has developed a reputation as an attack-heavy conference in recent years. The Cowboys have surpassed that mold in 2021.
Only Wisconsin (236.7) and Georgia (253.2) allow fewer yards per game than the Cowboys (278.4) of all FBS teams. They are also tied to the seventh-least allowed score per game of 16.8.
Oklahoma State is particularly dominant in the running game, allowing for the fifth-least yards per game of 91.2. The Cowboys have hosted teams to less than 70 yards in six games, drawing with Georgia and Wisconsin for the second-most such games at FBS, just behind San Diego State 8.
First game for head coach Marcus Freeman
Notre Dame is one of the oldest programs in college football, and there are not often changes in its coaching staff. On January 1st, it will experience for the first time in the show, like Marcus Freeman will become Notre Dame’s first full-time coach to begin his career as the head coach of Fighting Ireland in a bowling match.
The only comparable situation to the Fighting Irish was in 2004, when Tyrone Willingham was sacked at the end of the season and Kent Baer was appointed interim head coach. Baer coached the Insight Bowl, and lost to Oregon State 38-21, but did not return as head coach.
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Lots of quick options
Jack Coan and Spencer Sanders have both played solidly for Notre Dame and Oklahoma State this season, but these two offenses are clearly orchestrated.
Notre Dame’s offense was led by Kyren Williams, who raced for the top spots on the team with 204 takes, 995 yards of charge and 14 hasty touchdowns. Fighting Irish also featured Tyler Buchner, Chris Tyree and Logan Diggs dashing at least 200 yards during the season.
The Cowboys were largely led by Jaylen Warren, who raced 237 times for 1,134 yards of charge and 11 touchdowns. He was injured and missed the Big 12 Championship, as Spencer Sanders and Jackson carried the load, rushing for a total of 64 yards on 32 executions.
Fiesta Bowl Odds
Notre Dame is currently listed as 2.5 points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Where is the Fiesta Bowl played in 2022?
The Fiesta Bowl will once again be played at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
New Year’s Six Bowl Schedule 2022
All of this year’s Six Bowl games are televised on ESPN.
| Day | Bowl | Fit | Time (ET) | TV |
| December 30 | Peach Bowl | No. 10 Michigan State vs No. 12 Pitt | 7 pm | ESPN, fuboTV |
| December 31 | Cotton Bowl Classic (CFP Semifinals) | No. 1 Alabama vs No. 4 Cincinnati | 3:30 pm | ESPN, fuboTV |
| December 31 | Orange Bowl (CFP semi-final) | #2 Michigan vs #3 Georgia | 7:30 pm | ESPN, fuboTV |
| January 1 | Fiesta Bowl | #5 Notre Dame vs #9 Oklahoma | 1 pm | ESPN, fuboTV |
| January 1 | Rose Bowl Game | #6 Ohio State vs #11 Utah | 5 p.m | ESPN, fuboTV |
| January 1 | Sugar bowl | Baylor No. 7 vs No. 8 Ole Miss | 8:45pm | ESPN, fuboTV |
| January 10 | CFP . National Championship | TBD vs TBD | 8pm | ESPN, fuboTV |
