2021 College Football Insider | Postgame

2021-22 · Postgame

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2021-22 | Postgame

2022 PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl The 2022 PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl was truly historic.

In the first-ever meeting between Oklahoma State and Notre Dame, the Cowboys staged the biggest comeback in school and Fiesta Bowl history and the two teams broke 19 Fiesta Bowl records.

No. 5 Notre Dame jumped out in front and established a 28-7 lead late in the second quarter, but No. 9 Oklahoma State refused to go down without a fight. The Cowboys scored 30 unanswered points to stage a 21-point comeback and lead, 37-28, with a little over two minutes left.

Notre Dame QB Jack Coan kept the game close until the very end, throwing his fifth touchdown pass of the night and tying the Fiesta Bowl pass touchdown record, to close the score to 37-35 with a minute left to play.

Throughout the game, Coan and Cowboys QB Spencer Sanders put on a clinic, each breaking the Fiesta Bowl total offensive yards record of 431, set in 1991. Coan ended the game with 505 total offensive yards and Sanders posted 496.

At the end of it all, the Cowboys earned their third Fiesta Bowl victory, 37-35. Sanders was named Offensive Player of the Game, going 34-51 with 371 passing yards and four touchdowns, plus 136 rushing yards. LB Malcolm Rodriguez earned Defensive Player of the Game honors for his 11 total tackles and a critical fourth quarter interception.

The 2022 PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl marked another exciting start to the New Year and was a game that Cowboy Head Coach Mike Gundy called “the biggest win in the history of the school.”

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2021-22 | PostGame

2021 Guaranteed Rate Bowl Minnesota brought its nationally-ranked defense into the 2021 Guaranteed Rate Bowl and earned its fifth consecutive Bowl victory, with an 18-6 win over West Virgina. Ranked No. 4 in FBS in yards allowed per game, the Golden Gophers defense held the Mountaineers to a single touchdown and 206 offensive yards, including only six yards in the first quarter.

The first score of the game came in the second quarter, when the Gophers handed the ball to 6-9, 380-pound offensive tackle Daniel Faalele, who barreled his way through the West Virginia defense to score a two-yard touchdown, the first of his career, and Minnesota added a two-point conversion.

Mountaineers QB Jarret Doege responded, with a rushing touchdown of his own to bring the score to 8-6, but his two-point attempt to even the score failed.

The Gophers put points on the board using players of all shapes and sizes, the next score coming from 5’11, 205-pound RB Ky Thomas, who found the end zone on a five-yard rush. Gophers kicker Matthew Trickett scored the final points of the game with a 49-yard field goal to give Minnesota its first Guaranteed Rate Bowl victory in four appearances.

Thomas earned the Offensive Player of the Game title for his 144 rushing yards and touchdown.

Safety Tyler Nubin was named Defensive Player of the Game after eight tackles and an eight-yard sack.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2021-22 | Postgame

Team Outreach WEST VIRGINIA It was a special day for more than 50 kids from Special Olympics Arizona when the Mountaineers joined them for a “Day of Play” at Mavrix in Scottsdale. Each child was paired with a player and, together, they enjoyed a morning of bowling, arcade games and laser tag. At the end of the day, the kids got autographs, took a group photo with the team and, kids and players alike, left with big smiles and memories that will last a lifetime.

Click here to watch a recap.

MINNESOTA The Golden Gophers also had a fun “Day of Play” with more than 75 children from the Muscular Dystrophy Association at Main Event in Tempe.

The kids competed with the Minnesota football team in a variety of arcade games, as well as bowling and laser tag. By the end of the day, autographs were signed, pictures were taken and fun was had by all.

Click here to watch a recap.

OKLAHOMA STATE The Cowboys competed for a cause at Fiesta Bowl Charities’ annual backpack stuffing competition, held in partnership with PNC Bank. Teachers and teammates participated in a friendly competition to see who could stuff the most backpacks with new school supplies. At the end of the day, 1,000 backpacks were stuffed and donated to Title I schools across the state.

Click here to watch a recap.

NOTRE DAME In partnership with Fiesta Bowl Charities and Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation, the Fighting Irish treated youth to a holiday shopping spree at Dick’s Sporting Goods.

The Notre Dame players helped the kids pick out new clothes, test out sporting equipment and even signed autographs for their new friends to take home.

Click here to watch a recap.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2021-22 | PostGame

Game Records 2021 GUARANTEED RATE BOWL

TEAM RECORDS:

TEAMS SET FOUR COMBINED RECORDS:

•

Fewest Passes Attempted: 44, West Virginia (31) vs. Minnesota (13)

Most total first downs: 34, Oklahoma State vs. Notre Dame

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Fewest total offensive plays: 122, West Virginia (58) vs. Minnesota (64)

Most first downs passing: 24, Notre Dame

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Fewest PATs made: 1, West Virginia (0) vs. Minnesota (1)

Most Net Passing Yards: 509, Notre Dame

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Fewest Punt Return Yards: -2, West Virginia (-2) vs. Minnesota (0)

Most pass attempts: 68, Notre Dame

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Most touchdown passes: 5, Notre Dame

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Most field goals attempted: 4, Oklahoma State

• • • •

2022 PLAYSTATION ® FIESTA BOWL SAW A TOTAL OF 19 RECORDS BROKEN:

INDIVIDUAL RECORDS:

COMBINED RECORDS:

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Most total offensive yards: Jack Coan (505), Notre Dame

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Most total first downs: 61, Oklahoma State (34) vs. Notre Dame (27)

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Most pass attempts: Jack Coan (68), Notre Dame

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Most first downs passing: 43, Oklahoma State (19) vs. Notre Dame (24)

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Most passing yards: Jack Coan (509), Notre Dame

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Most pass attempts: 119, Oklahoma State (51) vs. Notre Dame (68)

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Most touchdown passes: Jack Coan (5), Notre Dame – Tied 1st

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Most pass completions: 72, Oklahoma State (34) vs. Notre Dame (38)

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Most touchdown receptions: Tay Martin (3), Oklahoma State – Tied 1st

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Most net passing yards: 880, Oklahoma State (371) vs. Notre Dame (509)

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Most field goals attempted: Tanner Brown (4), Oklahoma State – Tied 1st

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Most touchdown passes 9, Oklahoma State (4) vs. Notre Dame (5)

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Most total offensive yards: 1,156, Oklahoma State (605) vs. Notre Dame (551)-

Quotes of the week “This is clearly the biggest win in the history of the school. You’re in a New Year’s Day Bowl. You’re playing Notre Dame. Biggest comeback in the school history… It’s the biggest win in the history of the school.”

“We wanted to be the ‘defense that knocks,’ and I thought we did that. It was a theme our guys rallied around.”

- Minnesota Head Coach PJ Fleck on the “Breaking Bad” reference he used to inspire the defense

- Oklahoma State Head Coach Mike Gundy

COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2021-22 | Postgame

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER | 2021-22 | PostGame