Box Score (PDF) | Notre Dame Postgame Notes
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The No. 5 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (11-1) fell to the No. 9 Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-2) at the 2022 Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Day.
Jack Coan finished the day with 509 yards and threw for four touchdowns in the first half. It set the Notre Dame bowl record for most touchdown passes in the first half. It also tied a career high for Coan in a single game. He also broke the Fiesta Bowl records for pass attempts with 68 attempts and passing yards.
There were five Irish players who recorded five catches including Chris Tyree’s career high of 115 yards. Lorenzo Styles had seven receptions for 136 yards and became just the second true freshman to score a receiving touchdown in a bowl game for Notre Dame.
The Irish couldn’t have asked for a better start, going 75 yards in just five plays for a touchdown on their opening possession. Coan capped the drive by connecting with a wide open Styles for a 29-yard strike to put Notre Dame on top 7-0 early.
The Irish defense put the clamps on the Oklahoma State offense early, limiting it to just nine yards over its first two possessions.
On Notre Dame’s third drive of the game, the air attack found the end zone for the second time of the first quarter. Coan found Tyree in space and the running back dashed 53 yards for the touchdown to double the lead at 14-0 with 7:05 left in the first quarter.
The Cowboys managed to find their rhythm on offense on their fourth possession of the day, scoring a touchdown off an eight play, 82-yard drive to cut the Irish lead to 14-7.
The Irish pushed its lead back to two touchdowns on their first drive of the second quarter. Notre Dame put together a 10-play drive that went 78 yards. Coan completed a pass to Michael Mayer, who stretched to the pylon for the 16-yard score to make it 21-7 with 11:04 left in the half.
The Irish marched down the field on an 11-play, 84-yard drive to extend their lead 28-7, when Coan connected with Mayer for the second time in the half for a seven yard completion.
Oklahoma State added to their total when they found the end zone in the last minute of the half, on a four play drive to put the score at 28-14.
The opening drive of the second half resulted in a 12-play, 87-yard drive from the Cowboys to cut the Irish lead 28-21. Oklahoma State found the end zone a second time in the third quarter when they went 89-yards for 10 plays to tie the game 28-28.
The Cowboys took the lead at the end of the third quarter when a seven play, 36-yard drive resulted in a made field goal attempt pushing the score to 28-31.
On an Oklahoma State drive into the end zone, Jack Kiser made the tackle and forced a fumble that was recovered in the end zone by Ramon Henderson for a Notre Dame touchback.
The Cowboys extended their lead, 28-34, with a made field goal attempt at 9:07 in the fourth quarter.
At 3:07 in the fourth quarter, a carry from the Cowboys resulted in a fumble caused by Isaiah Foskey that was then recovered by Drew White.
A 25-yard field goal attempt for the Cowboys continued to extend their lead as the score was pushed to 28-37.
In a quick attempt from the Irish, Coan connected with Braden Lenzy for a gain of 17-yards. A spark from the Irish saw a carry for 13 yards and a reception of 15 to keep moving the Irish forward. In the eight play, 75-yard drive, Coan connected with Kevin Austin Jr. for a touchdown with just over a minute to go in the game making the final score 35-37.
—ND—
