FIESTA BOWL
Ohio State vs. Notre Dame, 1 p.m. Friday, ESPN, 1410
Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones and safety Tyvis Powell stole the show at Fiesta Bowl Media Day on Wednesday. They also stole the microphone.
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Media days such as this often turn a bit crazy. Players grow bored sitting at a table for an hour, answering the same questions over and over. Powell and his roommate, who jokingly calls his son, Jones, started interviewing their teammates at the end of the session at the Camelback Inn.
“So Vonn, it was brought to my attention that this could potentially be our last game together,” Powell asked safety Vonn Bell. “I want to know, if it is, will you cry after the game?”
“No comment,” Bell said.
Powell also interviewed Jones.
“Cardale, a couple weeks ago you made the decision, saying you were going to the NFL,” Powell said. “Did you think about who will my roommate be (in the NFL) when you made that decision?”
Jones put the exclamation point on the fun by grabbing the microphone and pointing to all the teammate around him — Powell, Bell, Eli Apple and others — and saying each one was going to the NFL.
“He’s lying,” Bell said.
Although the Buckeyes had plenty of fun in Arizona this week, they have focused on the game when the cameras haven’t been rolling. No. 7 Ohio State (11-1) plays No. 8 Notre Dame (10-2) at 1 p.m. Friday at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Here are five things to know about the game:
1. Unforgettable moment: Ohio State "got hit by a bat," coach Urban Meyer said when it lost 17-14 to Michigan State at Ohio Stadium on Nov. 21. That one loss robbed them of a chance to defend their national championship in the College Football Playoff.
Meyer described the next week of practice before the Michigan game as one of the most difficult weeks he’s experienced. Then the attitude of the team made a sudden turn. Meyer credited left tackle Taylor Decker, the Vandalia Butler High School graduate, with giving the team a shot of energy. All the seniors gave speeches at the last practice before the game. Decker’s stood out.
“I’ll never forget this for the rest of my life,” Meyer said.
Decker’s father Ron was there, Meyer said, and Decker turned around and told him, “I just want to thank you, thank Ohio State, thank my teammates. All I ever wanted to do was make my dad proud.”
2. Hated team: Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer, who is from Toledo, grew up around Ohio State fans and hearing the Ohio State fight song in elementary school. That didn't sway him to become a fan.
“Ohio State was always an enemy for me,” Kizer said. “I wasn’t necessarily a big fan of anybody growing up. You had to make a decision about Ohio State or Michigan. I chose Michigan over Ohio State. Since then they’ve always been an enemy. As we move forward, I’ve grown to respect them and understand how good they are, the traditions they have.”
3. Milestone victory: Ohio State seeks its 50th victory in the last four years. That means it would also be Meyer's 50th victory at Ohio State. Linebacker Joshua Perry was asked Wednesday what Meyer's secret is.
“The secret? I mean, he’s a nut job,” Perry said. “He definitely cares about us. He wants what’s best for the guys that are playing.”
4. Big weapon: Notre Dame running back C.J. Prosise is trying to come back from an ankle sprain. He leads the team with 1,032 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He missed the regular-season finale against Stanford and didn't return to practice for three weeks.
Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said Prosise won’t be the workhorse he was early in the season but will have an impact.
“I’d like to get a lot out of him, a lot of big plays in particular,” Kelly said. “He looked pretty good (Tuesday). The best way to put it is: that looked like C.J.”
5. Irish losses: Notre Dame lost two starting defensive backs this week. Devin Butler broke his foot in practice. Max Redfield was sent home for violating team rules.
That won’t change Ohio State’s game plan, running back Ezekiel Elliott said, but it could help.
“It may open up the passing game a little bit more,” Elliott said. “We have weapons all over the field. We just kind of find the hot foot and feed him.”
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