Fiesta Bowl Recruiting Comparison: Notre Dame vs Oklahoma State

If recruiting rankings determine a team's success then Notre Dame should absolutely destroy Oklahoma State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Notre Dame dominates the Cowboys from a recruiting rankings standpoint. Of course, Oklahoma State didn't win the Big 12 regular season title because of recruiting rankings, it won because it has talent.

This is why I find evaluating teams by recruiting rankings so fascinating, and in this particular aspect of the Fiesta Bowl matchup this is, well, a mismatch.

Notre Dame went 11-1 this season and Oklahoma State went 11-2.

Notre Dame heads into this matchup with one five-star and 11 four-star players in their starting lineup, and eight more four-star players in the rotation.

Oklahoma State has just one four-star recruit in the starting lineup and none in the rotation.

Let's dive deeper into the individual matchups, beginning with the matchup of the Notre Dame offense against the Oklahoma State defense.

Oklahoma State epitomizes the notion that recruiting rankings aren't indicative of success. The Cowboy defense finished the season ranked 2nd in defensive efficiency (FEI) and led the nation in sacks (54) and tackles for loss (113). It also ranked 3rd in total defense, 5th in rushing defense, 7th in scoring defense and 12th in pass defense.

All that without a single four-star recruit in the starting lineup or in the rotation. Freshman All-American Collin Oliver racked up 10.5 sacks on the season; he ranked as the nation's No. 400 overall player in the 2021 class and he was a three-star recruit.

Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez earned All-American honors this season from ESPN, Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, USA TODAY Sports and CBS Sports. He ranked as the nation's No. 1529 overall player in the country coming out of high school.

Notre Dame's starting lineup on offense has a former five-star recruit (Michael Mayer, tight end) and seven four-star recruits in the starting lineup. It also has four four-star recruits as part of the rotation. Notre Dame has four former Top 100 recruits in its starting lineup and rotation.

Let's take a look at the matchup between the Notre Dame defense and the Oklahoma State offense.

Oklahoma State does have one former four-star recruit in its lineup, and that is quarterback Spencer Sanders, who ranked as the nation's No. 171 overall player coming out of high school.

The Cowboys struggled for much of the season on offense, so its recruiting rankings actually match that a bit. There are some talented wideouts on the roster, including four true freshman (Jaden Bray, Blaine Green, Bryson Green, John Paul Richardson) and a redshirt freshman (Rashod Owens).

Notre Dame projects to have four former four-star recruits in its starting lineup but several more come off the bench. The Irish front is filled with a number of former four-star recruits. Starters Isaiah Foskey and Jayson Ademilola were four-star recruits, as are listed backup Jordan Botelho and Rylie Mills. The Irish will also play Jacob Lacey, another former four-star recruit that ranked as the No. 172 player in the country.

CLASS RANKINGS

Here are the class rankings of the two programs from the last five seasons. (247Sports composite)

NOTRE DAME

2021 - 9
2020 - 18
2019 - 15
2018 - 10
2017 - 10

OKLAHOMA STATE

2021 - 31
2020 - 40
2019 - 38
2018 - 34
2017 - 38

Advantage: Notre Dame

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Irish Breakdown Content

Notre Dame 2021 Roster
Notre Dame 2021 Schedule

Ranking The 2022 Signees - Offense
Ranking The 2022 Signees - Defense

Notre Dame 2023 Class Big Board

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