Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Ohio State set numerous records last time Buckeyes faced Notre Dame

Published Dec. 8, 2015 3:26 p.m. ET

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Want to get a sense of how the last matchup between Ohio State and Notre Dame in a bowl game went? The Buckeyes' record book is a good indicator.

No. 4 Ohio State beat No. 6 Notre Dame in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl with an offensive performance that can accurately be described as historic.

The Buckeyes won 34-20 while setting numerous program records.

Six all-time best Ohio State bowl performances occurred, including Troy Smith's 342 yards passing and 408 yards of total offense.

Santonio Holmes set a postseason record with an 85-yard touchdown catch, and the team's 617 total yards are still the most by the Buckeyes in a bowl.

That was also the last time two Ohio State players had more than 100 yards receiving in any game as Holmes totaled 124 and Ted Ginn Jr. had 167.

Smith's 342 yards passing tied Joe Germaine for sixth most in a single game (Northwestern, 1998), and no one has thrown for more since Bobby Hoying threw for 354 against Penn State in 1995.

Smith's 408 total yards were the second-most for a Buckeye in any game at that time and are still fourth.

Ohio State averaged 9.64 yards per play on offense, which was a record until the Big Ten championship game last season when the Buckeyes averaged 10.0 yards against Wisconsin.