After just missing the four-team college football playoff, fifth-ranked Notre Dame will play in the Fiesta Bowl on January 1 in Glendale, Arizona against the ninth-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys. The game becomes the head coaching debut for Marcus Freeman, who was named to lead the Irish on December 3. The last victory for Notre Dame in a traditional major bowl game was at the Cotton Bowl on January 1, 1994 against Texas A&M.
The Cowboys fell inches short of winning the Big-12 championship on the last play of the game. In falling to Baylor by 21-16, Oklahoma State’s own playoff aspirations were dashed.