Fiesta Bowl Betting Guide: Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Marcus Freeman makes his head coaching debut when Notre Dame meets Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl. The Fighting Irish, a slight favorite in the college football odds, saw coach Brian Kelly leave for LSU, and stars Kyren Williams and Kyle Hamilton opt out of the game.

• Game: Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-2) vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-1)
• Location: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
• Day/Time: Saturday, 1 p.m. ET
• Television: ESPN

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Betting Lines

Cowboys Try to Circle Wagons

Oklahoma State rode a five-game win streak into the Big 12 Championship Game and was contending for a College Football Playoff berth before coming up short against Baylor 21-16. The Cowboys were a seven-point favorite in the college football spreads. The total of 45 seemed reachable with Baylor ahead 21-6 at halftime. Oklahoma State raced to a 6-0 start in 2021 with all the wins by 11 points or fewer. The Cowboys fell from the ranks of the unbeaten with a 24-21 loss at Iowa State after leading in the fourth quarter before riding high into the Big 12 final. Oklahoma State cannot afford junior quarterback Spencer Sanders, a Big 12 first-team selection, to throw four interceptions like he did against Baylor.

Players to Watch

Senior running back Jaylen Warren was the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year after rushing for 1,134 yards and 11 touchdowns. The transfer from Utah State did not play in the Big 12 title game because of an ankle injury. Senior wide receiver Tay Martin, a Washington State transfer, had team highs of 70 catches, 942 receiving yards and seven TD receptions. The defense had four players on the Big 12 first team led by Malcolm Rodriguez, a 5-foot-11, 225-pound senior linebacker who led the conference with 119 tackles. Defensive end Collin Oliver boasted 11.5 sacks and was a unanimous choice as the Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year.

Injury Report

There are no major injuries to report pertaining to this game.

Fighting Irish’s Fate Sealed in Early October

Notre Dame was 4-0 after pulling away late from then-No. 18 Wisconsin for a 41-13 victory. Little did it know, though, that its CFP chances would be eliminated after losing to Cincinnati at home 24-13 the following week. The Fighting Irish were thrown for a loss when Kelly decided to leave in a stunning move. Kelly officially became LSU coach on Dec.1, four days after the Fighting Irish finished the regular season with a 45-14 triumph as a 20½-point favorite at Stanford. The 52 total when betting online was a push until Williams’ 12-yard touchdown run with 58 seconds left. Kelly’s sudden departure led the Fighting Irish to quickly name defensive coordinator Freeman his successor a couple days later. The losses of Williams and Hamilton are huge blows. Hamilton, a safety, is projected to be an early first-round pick in the NFL draft.

Players to Watch

Sophomore Chris Tyree and freshmen Logan Diggs and Audric Estime will try to fill the void left by Williams. The trio combined for 99 carries, 466 yards and four touchdowns compared to Williams’ 204, 1,002 and 14. Senior quarterback Jack Coan (20 touchdowns, six interceptions) will be under more pressure without his top running back. Sophomore defensive lineman Isaiah Foskey boasted 10 sacks and five forced fumbles with two recoveries.

Injury Report

There are no major injuries to report pertaining to this game.

Betting on the Game

Oklahoma State may have the coaching edge with Mike Gundy, in his 17th season at the school, facing a first-time coach who will be under pressure to have his team ready after the stunning departure of Kelly and two of his best players. The teams are disappointed that they missed CFP opportunities, although the way it played out, the Cowboys’ loss for the Big 12 title probably didn’t matter. And once Cincinnati won out and Alabama beat Georgia, Notre Dame’s fate was sealed.

Betting on Notre Dame and Oklahoma State was a good move in 2021. The Fighting Irish are 9-3 against the spread, winning their last seven while favored in the past six. The Cowboys are 9-3-1 ATS, but 0-1-1 in their last two. Notre Dame split its totals while Oklahoma State had eight of its games stay under with one push.

Gundy seems to have his defense ready to play in bowl games as the under has come through eight straight times in the Las Vegas odds.

Oklahoma State finds itself an underdog despite playing a slightly tougher schedule than Notre Dame. This game could wind up being a defensive struggle.