If Michigan State's 38-0 loss to Alabama in the Cotton Bowl left Big Ten fans wondering if the league's best team qualified for the College Football Playoff, the Fiesta Bowl left even more doubt.
Ohio State knocked off Notre Dame, 44-28, on Friday to finish the season at 12-1 as running back Ezekiel Elliott scored four touchdowns in what is expected to be the final game of his college career. OSU rode Elliott for 149 yards on 27 carries, scoring three short-yardage touchdowns and a fourth from 47 yards. NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah, who attended the game, was also impressed with Elliott's skills in pass protection. Elliott, a junior, said after OSU's loss to Michigan State that he intends to enter the 2016 NFL Draft.
The loss to MSU prevented OSU from returning to the CFP field for the second year in a row, leaving the Buckeyes to play in the Fiesta Bowl while Michigan State went on to win the Big Ten title before being selected for the playoff.
OSU took command early and led by as much as 21, thanks largely to a talented defensive front that allowed only 121 rushing yards.
The teams played most of the game without their top playmakers on defense, perhaps contributing to the high-scoring outcome. Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa, a junior who is also expected to apply for early draft eligibility, was ejected in the first half for targeting when he struck Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer with the crown of his helmet. Notre Dame lost star junior linebacker Jaylon Smith to a left leg injury in the first quarter when Buckeyes offensive tackle Taylor Decker finished a block on Smith that caused his leg to twist awkwardly.
Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett completed 19 of 31 passes for 211 yards, and rushed for another 96 on 23 carries.
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