Notre Dame football vs. Oklahoma State: Preview and prediction

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SOUTH BEND, IN – NOVEMBER 06: Logan Diggs #22 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish reacts after a touchdown during the game Navy Midshipmen at Notre Dame Stadium on November 6, 2021, in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

Notre Dame football vs. Oklahoma State: Fiesta Bowl preview and prediction

Game Preview

Going into their Big 12 title game against the Baylor Bears, the Oklahoma State Cowboys were a favorite for a possible College Football Playoff berth. They had done a nice job navigating their season, going into that game with only one loss, but were coming off a tough win against Oklahoma, one that saw them lose Jaylen Warren for the Baylor game.

Baylor was able to get past Oklahoma State thanks to some opportunistic play by the defense, as they intercepted Cowboys quarterback Spencer Sanders four times. Not having Warren was big for the Cowboys, but he is ready to go against Notre Dame, giving the Cowboys their full complement of weapons on the offensive side of the ball.

For the Irish, they will be without two of their key players, as running back Kyren Williams and safety Kyle Hamilton have decided to sit out the bowl game, declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft. Hamilton has not played since the USC game, so the Irish are used to playing without him, but Williams was having a nice run to close the season, pushing his total over 1,000 yards for the second straight year.

Overall, both teams are healthy, and both will be playing with a ton of passion, as a win could push them into the top-4 of the final rankings.

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