Notre Dame will cap its 2023 season in the Sun Bowl today against No. 19 Oregon State, a rare top-25 matchup outside of the New Year’s Six bowls held in the second-oldest bowl game.
There may have been some early-December consternation about what bowl game the No. 16 Irish (9-3) ended up in, but the realities were simple: A trip to El Paso represented the most established bowl game available to Notre Dame and the Beavers (8-4) were the best possible opponent in those games.
Those are facts, simply enough.
“I remember growing up as a kid and hearing about the Sun Bowl,” Irish head coach Marcus Freeman said Thursday. “... The tradition, the respect of this game is something you’re humbled to be a part of.”
Even with the inevitable bowl-season opt-outs and numerous players entering the transfer portal for both teams, this afternoon’s tilt in the Sun Bowl was the best possible destination for the Irish.
TV: CBS has broadcast the Sun Bowl since 1968, the rare postseason college football game that does not land on ESPN, perhaps another argument in favor of the trip to El Paso.
Do not be too shocked if the broadcast begins with the chimes that too many associate with the “SEC on CBS” broadcasts. That is a CBS anthem, not something belonging specifically to the SEC.
For that matter, Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson will be in the booth for the broadcast, another piece of college football too often solely ascribed to the SEC when they actually have greater reach.
TIME: A 2:00 ET kickoff is noon local in El Paso, a piece of Texas in the Mountain Time zone, a somewhat subtle underscoring of how big that state really is. The last time Notre Dame played in the Sun Bowl, back in 2010, the game was held on New Year’s Day Eve, which undoubtedly created some confusion for Irish fans as New Year’s Eve celebrations commenced, some mistakenly thinking they were in the Central Time zone, others seizing a chance to also enjoy midnight Pacific Time.
PREVIEW: The midday desert sun will focus on Irish sophomore quarterback Steve Angeli, making his first career start behind a new-look offensive line.
“Do the things that have put yourself in this position,” Freeman said of his expectations for Angeli. “... You have to be Steve Angeli. Don’t be Sam Hartman. Don’t be anybody else. Be Steve Angeli. Take care of the football. That’s always a big thing for me. Take care of the football.”
The Beavers’ defensive line appears intact at this point, meaning this will be an excellent test for what could be the majority of Notre Dame’s starting offensive line in 2024 at Texas A&M. For that matter, the Irish are without their two best blocking tight ends — junior Mitchell Evans to an ACL injury and sophomore Holden Staes to transfer.
If Angeli has time, be it via newfound and impressive protection or via the Irish ground game forcing Oregon State to worry too much to pass rush, he should have healthier receivers than Hartman enjoyed much of the season, namely freshman Jaden Greathouse and junior Jayden Thomas, both long slowed by hamstring issues.
When they are healthy, they form a problematic combination for defenses, particularly along with freshman Jordan Faison. When they are slowed, they struggle, as just about any receiver does with a balky hamstring.
“To have [Thomas] back and healthy is really encouraging,” Freeman said. “Greathouse had a great bowl prep. Jordan Faison has done really, really well with his expanded role and for what we’re going to ask him to do.
“Getting [junior Deion] Cozlie back and [sixth-year former walk-on Matt] Salerno, a guy who has played in really big games — he always had it in his mindset when he got injured (in September) that he wanted to be back for the bowl game. …
“It’s going to be great for [Angeli] to have veteran guys who have been out there, that know what it’s like in a big-game situation.”
The broader headlines may focus on Angeli and this space spent some of the week wondering if the offensive line could hold its own, but that returned receiver corps deserves some attention. Notre Dame’s greatest weakness in recent years has been its lack of receivers, as much in quantity as in quality. That cost the Irish this past October with Greathouse and Thomas unable to impact games, while Salerno and Colzie were sidelined indefinitely, effectively neutering Notre Dame’s offense at Duke and at Louisville.
And they have plenty to play for. The Irish have brought in two receivers for 2024 via the transfer market in Clemson’s Beaux Collins and Florida International’s Kris Mitchell. This afternoon should be Greathouse’s and Thomas’s chance to audition for a role alongside them next season, no matter if Angeli will not be the starter then.
Steve Angeli gets some headlines, the lead photo in this article and the video/podcast appearance this week, but ... you should focus most on Notre Dame's offensive line tomorrow.https://t.co/hpi9xPRdxL
— Douglas Farmer (@D_Farmer) December 28, 2023
PREDICTION: The offensive line and Notre Dame’s receivers may incite the most intrigue, but the afternoon should be dictated by the Irish defense.
Eight of its season-long starters remain, with two of the opt-outs replaced by veterans with starting experience. Its greatest weakness should be in the defensive backfield, a weakness Oregon State is not equipped to exploit when at full-strength, let alone when it is trotting out its third-string quarterback, Ben Gulbranson, the 2022 starter.
“We’re going to do what we do well,” Freeman said. “This isn’t about tricking your opponent. It’s about having a great game plan and giving your guys a chance to play fast, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
The Notre Dame recipe in 2023, what it does well, has been to stifle opposing offenses until they get a bit frustrated and then dial up a pass rush. Combine that patience and the subsequent pressure with a playmaking secondary led by unanimous All-American safety Xavier Watts and star sophomore cornerback Benajmin Morrison, and the No. 1 pass defense in the country emerges, in terms of expected points added per opposing dropback.
That kind of compression of Gulbranson could expose the Beavers’ offense, force it into utter ineffectiveness after a season of decent success. On a few occasions this season, that kind of defensive suffocation has set up the Irish offense for a bounty of points, simply via generous field position.
That edge alone should propel Notre Dame to cover a spread of six points and short scoring drives should help clear the pregame combined points total Over/Under of 41.5, as of Friday’s earliest hours.
Notre Dame 31, Oregon State 13
Predictions record straight-up: 8-4; Against the spread: 7-5; Over/Under: 5-7.
Notre Dame record straight-up: 9-3; Against the spread: 9-3; Over/Under: 9-3.
Hard to look at this and frame it in the context of transfers/opt-outs, but ...
— Douglas Farmer (@D_Farmer) December 15, 2023
No one likes to pass against Notre Dame. (Teams rush 6% more than expected.)
Oregon St likes to run anyway. (3%)
OreSt gives up rushing success (No. 104 in the country), but not explosives.
Under. https://t.co/cpNRgxMu1o
INSIDE THE IRISH
— Things To Learn: Focus on Notre Dame’s offensive line, a 2024 preview
— Leftovers & Links: Bowl season roster attrition may have helped ND’s Sun Bowl chances
— Landing five receivers this month, including a trio of four-star recruits, changes ND’s 2024
OUTSIDE READING
— Oregon State vs Notre Dame Prediction: Sun Bowl Odds and Picks
— Steve Angeli focused on ND’s 10th victory over new-found fame, future
— How freshman Charles Jagusah is approaching his first start at Notre Dame
— Javontae Jean-Baptiste ready to lead Notre Dame in Sun Bowl
— Sun Bowl win would mean the world to Notre Dame S DJ Brown
— Jack Kiser’s decision to return to Notre Dame in 2024 is one for the ages
— Is college football ready to get out of the stone age with signals? Bowl trial run with helmet communication showing promise
Worth remembering a dropped pass in the opener basically got Kyren benched his freshman season at Notre Dame by then-offensive coordinator Chip Long. https://t.co/LiyFG7mWfh
— Douglas Farmer (@D_Farmer) December 28, 2023