The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 0-7 straight up and 1-6 against the spread in their last seven games played in the month of January. The Fighting Irish will try to break that trend in the Fiesta Bowl this Friday afternoon against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Notre Dame vs. Ohio State odds, Fiesta Bowl 2016: Irish the betting underdog facing Buckeyes
Notre Dame and Ohio State look to end their seasons on a high note with a win in the Fiesta Bowl this New Year’s Day.
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Notre Dame is a 6.5-point betting underdog in Glendale according to sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. In their last 13 bowl appearances, the Fighting Irish are just 4-9 SU and 3-10 ATS.
Had the Fighting Irish defeated the Stanford Cardinal in their final game of the regular season, the College Football Playoff Committee would have had a tough choice on their hands. Instead, Stanford’s 38-36 win sealed Notre Dame’s fate as a team on the outside of the playoff picture.
Notre Dame ended the year with an impressive 10-2 SU and 8-4 ATS record, losing its two games by a combined four points. The team has gone 7-3 ATS over its last 10 games.
These two teams have met three times since 1995. Ohio State is 3-0 SU and ATS in those three games with three double-digit wins, per the OddsShark College Football Database.
Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
When: Friday, Jan. 1, 1 p.m. ET
Where: University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
Betting Line / Total: Ohio State -6.5 / 57 Points
For the Ohio State Buckeyes, this season was considered by many to be a championship or bust season. A 17-14 loss as a 14.5-point favorite at home against the Michigan State Spartans was the only blemish on the Buckeyes’ record, but it was enough to keep the team out of the Big Ten Championship Game and playoff contention.
Ohio State went 11-1 SU in 2015 and finished the regular season on a 4-2 ATS run, but will have to settle for a Fiesta Bowl appearance instead of a chance to defend its title.
Friday’s total is set at 57 points. The OVER is 5-1 in Notre Dame’s last six games coming off a loss and 4-1 in the last five Fiesta Bowls.
Playing without pressure in the Big House against the Wolverines, Ohio State blew out Michigan 42-13 in its regular season finale. This game doesn’t figure to be that lopsided, but the Buckeyes’ rushing attack and shutdown defense should lead Ohio State to a win and cover in the Fiesta Bowl.
