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5 things to remember from the 2016 Fiesta Bowl between Ohio State football, Notre Dame

colin gay, the columbus dispatch
·4 min read

Ohio State football will open its 2022 season against a team it hasn't seen since 2016.

The Buckeyes will take the field at Ohio Stadium Saturday night to face Notre Dame, which they haven't faced since beating the Fighting Irish 44-28 in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl.

How did Ohio State perform in its last game against Notre Dame? Here are five things to remember from the 2016 Fiesta Bowl.

How Ohio State got to the 2016 Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer smiles at his family following Ohio State's 44-28 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Battlefrog Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Jan. 1, 2016.
Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer smiles at his family following Ohio State's 44-28 win over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Battlefrog Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Jan. 1, 2016.

Expectations were high for Ohio State coming into the 2015 season.

The Buckeyes were coming off a national championship in 2014, overcoming an early-season loss to Virginia Tech and two injured quarterbacks to win their first title since 2002 against Oregon. And with returning starters like running back Ezekiel Elliott and defensive end Joey Bosa along with head coach Urban Meyer, it was expected for Ohio State to return to the College Football Playoff in 2015.

After winning the first 10 games of the 2015 season, Ohio State fell short in its final home game, falling to Michigan State by a buzzer-beating field goal, while only recording 14 points and accumulating 132 yards of total offense.

While the Buckeyes beat Michigan handedly the next week, Ohio State fell short of the Big Ten Championship and the College Football Playoff, going into its Fiesta Bowl matchup against No. 8 Notre Dame as the No. 7 team int he country.

Ezekiel Elliott shined against Notre Dame's defense

Ezekiel Elliott (15) celebrates with teammates Pat Elflein, left, Chase Farris, middle, and Michael Thomas, after breaking loose on a 47-yard touchdown run in Friday's Fiesta Bowl.
Ezekiel Elliott (15) celebrates with teammates Pat Elflein, left, Chase Farris, middle, and Michael Thomas, after breaking loose on a 47-yard touchdown run in Friday's Fiesta Bowl.

What Elliott did against Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl was nothing new for Ohio State's offense.

It capped off what proved to be a top-tier season for the Buckeyes running back, recording 149 rushing yards on 27 carries and scoring four rushing touchdowns, something he only did one other time in his three-year career: Ohio State's national championship win against Oregon.

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Elliott's performance was the main calling card for the Ohio State offense against Notre Dame. Quarterback J.T. Barrett finished with 211 passing yards, a touchdown and an interception, completing 19 of his 13 pass attempts, while Michael Thomas led the team with 72 receiving yards on seven catches and a touchdown.

Elliott's four-touchdown performance completed a season in which he rushed for 100 yards or more and at least one rushing touchdown in 12 of his 13 appearances.

In the spring, Elliott was the fourth player taken in the 2016 NFL draft by the Dallas Cowboys.

Joey Bosa finished Ohio State career with targeting call

Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Joey Bosa (97) gets injected after a hit on Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) in the first quarter during the Fiesta Bowl in the University of Phoenix Stadium on January 1, 2016.
Ohio State Buckeyes defensive lineman Joey Bosa (97) gets injected after a hit on Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback DeShone Kizer (14) in the first quarter during the Fiesta Bowl in the University of Phoenix Stadium on January 1, 2016.

Bosa's last game at Ohio State was expected to be the Fiesta Bowl against Notre Dame. But his career ended a bit more abruptly than expected.

The Buckeyes defensive end was ejected from the game in the first quarter against the Fighting Irish, leading with the crown of his helmet as he brought down Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer on a pass intercepted by safety Tyvis Powell.

Before his ejection in the first quarter, Bosa had four tackles, finishing his final collegiate season with 51 tackles, 16 tackles-for-loss and five sacks.

Bosa was selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2016 NFL draft by the San Diego Chargers.

Cornerback Gareon Conley and linebacker Joshua Perry finished the Fiesta Bowl with a team-leading seven tackles, while linebacker Darron Lee, who had two sacks and a forced fumble, defensive end Sam Hubbard and defensive end Tyquan Lewis each recorded a sack.

Jaylon Smith suffered major knee injury against Ohio State

Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jaylon Smith (9) is helped off the field after an injury against Ohio State Buckeyes in the first quarter during the Fiesta Bowl in the University of Phoenix Stadium on January 1, 2016.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish linebacker Jaylon Smith (9) is helped off the field after an injury against Ohio State Buckeyes in the first quarter during the Fiesta Bowl in the University of Phoenix Stadium on January 1, 2016.

Jaylon Smith was the focal point of Notre Dame's defense heading into the 2016 Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State.

The Fort Wayne, Indiana linebacker won the 2015 Butkus Award, given to the best college linebacker, after recording 115 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss, one sack, five pass deflections and two fumble recoveries.

Coming into the game as a projected top-five NFL draft pick, Smith tore both his ACL and LCL halfway through the first quarter and fell to the second round in the draft, being picked by the Dallas Cowboys at No. 34.

Dominant win set Ohio State up for College Football Playoff return in 2016

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer walks off the field after losing 31-0 in College Football Playoff semifinal Fiesta Bowl against the Clemson Tigers at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Dec. 31, 2016. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)
Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer walks off the field after losing 31-0 in College Football Playoff semifinal Fiesta Bowl against the Clemson Tigers at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona on Dec. 31, 2016. (Kyle Robertson / The Columbus Dispatch)

Ohio State's 16-point victory against Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl set the Buckeyes up for a return to the College Football Playoff in 2016.

The Buckeyes won each of their first six games of the next season before a three-point road loss to Penn State Oct. 22. However, Ohio State won its next five games, securing a College Football Playoff spot after a three-point double-overtime win against Michigan.

No. 3 Ohio State returned to the Fiesta Bowl, but lost to No. 2 Clemson, 31-0.

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio State football beat Notre Dame in 2016 Fiesta Bowl: What to know