Final Bowl Projection: Fiesta Bowl or Peach Bowl For Notre Dame
Notre Dame and the rest of the College Football world will find out their postseason fates later this afternoon, but the bowl picture for the Fighting Irish has become clear. Of course, that means we will soon find out who Marcus Freeman will face in his first game as Notre Dame's head coach.
Notre Dame has locked up a New Year's Six Bowl Game and will either head to the Fiesta Bowl or the Peach Bowl. Their projected opponents are either Oklahoma State or Michigan State.
There are seven bowl projections that were posted after all the championship games were concluded.
Four of those bowl projections have Notre Dame headed to the Fiesta Bowl. Its opponent in each projection is the Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-2), who came up an inch away from beating Baylor in the Big 12 championship game.
Kyle Bonagura (ESPN), Athlon Sports, ActionNetwork and CollegeFootballNews.com all projected the Irish to face the Cowboys.
Three of those bowl projections have the Irish headed to the Peach Bowl. Its opponent in each projection is the ACC Champion Pittsburgh Panthers (11-2). Pitt beat Wake Forest 45-21 to claim their first ever ACC crown.
Jerry Palm (CBS Sports), Bleacher Report and Mark Schlabach (ESPN) all projected the Irish to face the Panthers.
Notre Dame and Pittsburgh have a long history against each other. Notre Dame has only played four teams more than it has played the Panthers (USC, Navy, Michigan State, Purdue).
Notre Dame owns a 50-21-1 all-time advantage against Panthers. The Irish last played Pitt in 2020, a game in which Notre Dame beat the Panthers 45-3 in the Steel City. Notre Dame has won three straight against Pitt (2020, 2018, 2015).
Notre Dame has never faced Oklahoma State on the football field.
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