Fiesta Bowl 2016: Full Preview and Predictions for Ohio State vs. Notre Dame

The No. 7 Ohio State Buckeyes and No. 8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish fell short of their national championship aspirations but should provide fans with a great Fiesta Bowl.

Both bring high-scoring offenses to the game and a combined 21 wins. The two powerhouse programs found themselves in the Top Four of the College Football Playoff rankings at one point, but close losses to Top 10 teams late in the season doomed both squads.

Ohio State provided a quick snapshot of the matchup once it was announced:

Yahoo Sports' Pat Forde thinks it should be a great game: 

Here's a deeper look at some important info and a prediction for the game:

What: 2016 BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl

When: Jan. 1

Where: Glendale, Arizona; University of Phoenix Stadium

Start Time: 1 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Odds: Ohio State -6, per OddsShark.com 

Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Notre Dame

This game will mark 10 years since the two teams matched up in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl. Quarterback Troy Smith and linebacker A.J. Hawk shard MVP honors in a 34-20 win for Ohio State.

Like Smith, the Buckeyes once again have a pretty good quarterback in J.T. Barrett.

His overall numbers don't compare to the nation's top quarterbacks because he has shared time with Cardale Jones this season. However, as this video from ESPN shared by Bleacher Report shows, there is no doubt he is one of the most athletic players in the county:

Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer has been decent this year with 19 touchdowns through the air and nine on the ground, but the offensive star of the team is wide receiver Will Fuller and his 1,145 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.

This will be a good test for both teams, which failed to win their biggest games on the schedule. Notre Dame lost to No. 1 Clemson by two points on the road, while Ohio State lost its chance at an undefeated season, losing to the No. 3 Michigan State Spartans. 

One interesting fact is Ohio State defensive coordinator Chris Ash will coach in the game despite having been recently hired by the Rutgers Scarlet Knights as their new head coach, per Bill Greene of Scout.com.

That's a huge lift when it comes to trying to stop Fuller, who has been making plays all year, like the ones in this highlight reel shared by the Irish:

The Buckeyes have done well against the pass this season. They've allowed just 12 touchdowns through the air, and three of those came in a Week 1 win against the Virginia Tech Hokies.

They also have a pretty good playmaker in running back Ezekiel Elliott, who has 1,672 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground.  

While both teams have players on offense who can move the ball and score, Ohio State has a huge advantage on the defensive side of the ball.

Not only have the Irish allowed nearly 100 more points than the Buckeyes, but they are ranked 51st in defensive team efficiency, per ESPN.com, while Ohio State is eighth.

With both teams are looking for a signature win, it will be the defense that pulls out the victory for the Buckeyes.

Prediction: Ohio State 31, Notre Dame 24