90th Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl features battle of backup quarterbacks

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – When No. 16 Notre Dame and No. 19 Oregon State hit the field on Friday in the 90th Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, both teams will be looking to end the 2023 season on a high note, with backup quarterbacks leading the way.

There have been opt-outs and transfers galore for both the Beavers and Irish ahead of the Sun Bowl and that includes the starting quarterbacks, starting running backs and other important players on the offensive and defensive sides of the football at both schools.

At Notre Dame, Sam Hartman opted out of the Sun Bowl to prepare for the 2024 NFL Draft, meaning sophomore Steve Angeli will make his first career start on Friday.

Angeli has played quite a bit in mop-up duty in 2023 for the Fighting Irish, completing 19 of 25 passes for 272 yards and four touchdowns, but being the guy everyone looks at in the second-oldest bowl game in college football is something else entirely.

“Steve has been a guy that we have a lot of confidence in all year. Any time you’re the backup quarterback, we know at any moment you’re going to be in the game,” Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said. “Steve has done a great job in preparation and a great job in his opportunities in games, so I’m looking forward to seeing him in his first career start.”

He’ll also be doing it without star running back Audric Estime, who also opted out for Notre Dame after rushing for over 1,300 yards and 18 touchdowns. The Irish will use up to four players to replace his production in El Paso, including Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price.

Angeli and the Irish will also have to find some production at wide receiver, as Notre Dame’s four top targets from the regular season won’t play (three transferred, one is injured). The Irish said they have no plans of changing the offense for Angeli, though.

“You can just see the confidence in his eyes and his cadence and all that. I’ve seen that in his pre-practice, when we break the huddle,” said Price. “He’s speaking a lot more to all the position groups and we’re all very confident in him.”

A Notre Dame official told KTSM that it was still unclear if any of the opt-out players – including Hartman and Estime – would be attending the Sun Bowl in support of their teammates, but they were not in El Paso as of Tuesday.

Meanwhile at Oregon State, the Beavers will be without a myriad of starting players too, after starting quarterback DJ Uiagalelei and backup Aidan Chiles both entered the transfer portal after the regular season.

Third-stringer Ben Gulbranson will step in for OSU, but he’s no normal third string quarterback. Gulbranson went 7-1 as the Beavers’ starter in 2022, including in a blowout win over Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl. He’s more than capable of getting the job done and he has the track record to prove it.

“I have 100% confidence in Ben. He led us to seven wins last year,” said OSU wide receiver Jesiah Irish. “I’m used to Ben and his wordage and what he’s saying and what he sees. We’ve built a connection over the last three years.”

Gulbranson will also be without some key weapons, including star running back Damien Martinez, who won’t play in the Sun Bowl after getting arrested for a DUI last month. Deshaun Fenwick (500 rushing yards) will get the bulk of the carries in Martinez’s place.

At receiver, the Beavers will have top target Silas Bolden, but options two and three (Anthony Gould and Jack Velling) both opted out of the Sun Bowl. Defensively, linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, OSU’s leading tackler, won’t play in the game.

Gulbranson has been through a lot in his college career and for him and many of his older teammates, finishing the season strong is important to them.

“Some of our perspective about what this game means to us as far as not just playing but being a leader and someone the younger guys can lean on,” said Beavers tight end Riley Sharp. “I think Ben is focused on that perspective and I think it’s made him grow a lot in a lot of different ways and it’s helped him grow on the field too.”

Oregon State is undefeated all-time vs. Notre Dame, with wins in the 2001 Fiesta Bowl and the 2004 Insight Bowl. However, the Fighting Irish enter Friday’s clash in the Sun Bowl as six-point favorites.

Kickoff for the 2023 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl is slated for noon on Friday.

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