GLENDALE, Ariz. -- While Notre Dame didn't yield easily, Ohio State made a pretty strong statement in the BattleFrog Fiesta Bowl, one that surely includes some regret over falling short of the College Football Playoff.

Ohio State jumped to a 21-point lead in the first half and fought off a second-half challenge from the Fighting Irish in a 44-28 victory.

Here's a look at how things went down.

What the win means for Ohio State: The Buckeyes finish the season on a strong up-note with a quality win, though obviously with some regrets. The defending 2014 national champions, they were an overwhelming preseason No. 1, and missed the CFP only because they yielded a late lead to Michigan State on Nov. 21. Yes, more than a few folks are wondering if the Buckeyes might have made a stronger stand against Alabama or Clemson than Michigan State or Oklahoma did on New Year's Eve, but no one has a magical time machine so, oh well. A 12-1, likely top-five finish is not too shabby. And you get the feeling that Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes aren't going away.

What the loss means for Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish finished a mostly good season with back-to-back disappointing losses, but they overcame numerous injuries -- All-American Jaylon Smith going down early here for example -- and still figure to finish in the top 15. That said, Notre Dame has struggled to win on the big stage under Brian Kelly and this was another big stage against an A-list foe. Not unlike the Buckeyes, Notre Dame figures to be ranked highly next preseason, but first up is figuring out who will be the starting quarterback in 2016.

Unsung hero: Notre Dame fifth-year senior linebacker Joe Schmidt, the heart and soul of the Irish defense, had 13 tackles, a tackle for a loss and an interception in his final game.

Stat of the game: Ohio State was 10-of-18 on third down. Notre Dame was 5-of-13. While the teams' yards per play were nearly identical, the Buckeyes did a better job of keeping drives alive.

Game ball goes to: Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott finished with 149 yards on 27 carries with four touchdowns, which tied a Fiesta Bowl record.