Jan 01, 2016 11:00 AM EST By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

This year's Fiesta Bowl promises to be as exciting as a CFP matchup, featuring two teams that were in contention for the playoff until the end of the regular season.

BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl

Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

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With several returning starters on offense and defense, the Ohio State Buckeyes (7) was considered the favorite to repeat as National Champions, or at least make the CFP. Notre Dame went into its regular season finale against Stanford with one loss and made a playoff case after overcoming the loss of their starting quarterback.

But in Malik Zaire's absence, DeShone Kizer stepped up and lead the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8) to a peak ranking of fourth overall on the CFP committee's poll. Ohio State, on the other hand, only found their rhythm offensively when head coach Urban Meyer settled on J.T. Barrett as the starting quarterback.

With three starting defensive backs injured for the Fiesta Bowl, Notre Dame's defensive backfield will have a tall order slowing Ohio State's offense. But the matchup promises to be an offensive shootout, as both teams averaged about 35 points and more than 400 yards per game.

"You second guess and over analyze everything," Meyer said at a pregame press conference, according to ESPN. " Now it's just let's go play our tails off one more time, and we're a great football team and let's finish this thing the right way."

(Rankings: CFP. Stats: ESPN)

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