Tag: Sun Bowl

Watch Notre Dame conduct draft for 2024 Blue Gold Game

Which team will you cheer for?

This Saturday will mark the most exciting day for Notre Dame football since the 2023 season ended with a win in the Sun Bowl. The Blue Gold Game that has concluded spring practices for nearly a century will take place at Notre Dame Stadium.

Since [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] took over as coach, it has been customary to live stream the draft for that game. In case you missed it live, the whole thing is available here:

Hopefully from this, you can determine which side you would like to root for. It really doesn’t matter though because everyone is on the same team at the end of the day. The important thing is to provide the fans who come out a great competition and not get injured.

Most importantly for us at Fighting Irish Wire, we will be on site at Notre Dame Stadium to cover this yearly program tradition. We can’t wait to do so.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Notre Dame Football: Ketterer Touchdown a Win for Non-CFP Bowl Games

From Walk-On to a Walk-Off Touchdown!

For the hundreds of thousands still tuned into Notre Dame’s 40-8 victory over Oregon State in the Sun Bowl it was just the cap on a blowout contest that had been determined long before.  But to Chase Ketterer it was a play, and even more so a celebration, that won’t soon be forgotten.

Ketterer, a Notre Dame walk on running back from nearby New Prairie, Indiana, started his Fighting Irish career in 2021 and saw the field sparingly early on.  After starring as an option quarterback in high school, Ketterer handled scout team quarterback duties during Navy week in recent years.

This season he was able to get touches in blowout wins over both Tennessee State and Central Michigan before scoring his only collegiate touchdown to cap the season.

Ketterer spoke to Austin Hough of South Bend Tribune about what wound up being his final play of football.

“I was saying to my parents that 40 years down the line, I might not remember the touchdown, but I’m going to remember everything that happened right after it,” Ketterer said. “The brotherhood is just awesome, and having those guys there for me and being so happy in that moment was awesome.”

Ketterer is set to graduate from Notre Dame with a finance degree this spring with goals of one day working in an NFL front office.

To me it’s a special moment for Ketterer, his teammates and his family, all of which spoke to for his piece.

It’s also one that doesn’t happen if these “meaningless” bowl games were eliminated like some wish.

How social media reacted to Sun Bowl: Beavers side

How you feeling, Beavs fans?

For every good outcome in sports, there always is a bad one.

In the case of Sun Bowl, Oregon State got its clock cleaned by Notre Dame, 40-8. The only points the Beavers scored came when the game already was well out of reach. All that did was make this game look somewhat closer than it was – maybe.

Let’s not be too harsh on the Beavers though. They were missing even more players than the Irish, and it turned out the Irish had far more depth to withstand losses, at least in this matchup. We never will know how this game would have gone if other players had been available, but it’s a moot point because the game has been played, and the outcome can’t be changed.

Beavers fans took to social media afterwards and had varied reactions to the defeat. Some took it a little better than others. Maybe new coach Trent Bray lessens the pain. Either way, see for yourself:

Notre Dame Destroys Oregon State: Instant Takeaways

What a way to end 2023!

Notre Dame dominated Oregon State in every aspect of Friday’s Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.  Some might even say the Fighting Irish closed their 2023 season by playing grrrrrrrrrreat!

Sorry, I had to.

Notre Dame stopped Oregon State quickly on the game’s opening possession and immediately marched down the field to take a 7-0 lead.  That would be rinsed and repeated for most of the afternoon to the tune of a 33-8 Notre Dame victory.

The win puts Notre Dame at 10-3 to finish the 2023 campaign while Oregon State falls to 8-5 with the loss.

Here are our instant takeaways for the final time in 2023.

How social media reacted to Sun Bowl: Irish side

Your thoughts after this one?

As soon as [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] had the celebratory Frosted Flakes dumped on him, it was time for Notre Dame fans to celebrate.

The Irish beat Oregon State, 40-8, in a Sun Bowl. They didn’t allow the Beavers any points until the game was well out of reach in the fourth quarter. It’s the largest margin victory for the Irish in a bowl game and evened their bowl record at 21-21.

A 10-3 season is nothing to sneeze at. While it would have been nice to get a better bowl game, there’s no arguing with achieving double-digit wins. Irish fans have reason to be optimistic for the future, and this victory will do a lot to help the program’s vibes. This should mean the fans are feeling good, too.

Irish fans took to social media afterward to celebrate this dominant win. Here are some of the best tweets we found after the final game of the 2023 season:

Social media reacts to Jeremiyah Love’s touchdown reception

Nice moves.

It’s safe to say Notre Dame will leave El Paso, Texas as the Sun Bowl champion. How the game will conclude remains to be seen, but the have proven they aren’t giving up in the fourth quarter.

After a goal-line stand by Oregon State, the Irish’s defense took the field with the Beavers having to start on their own 1-yard line. Isaiah Newell was stopped in the end zone for a safety, although it took a reply review for those two points to officially get on the board.

Only three plays after the Irish received the safety punt, [autotag]Jeremiyah Love[/autotag] received a [autotag]Steve Angeli[/autotag] pass and moved and grooved on his way to a 13-yard touchdown:

This has not been the close game most people predicted it would be, and the Irish gladly will take that. Here’s how their fans reacted to Love finding the end zone in a cool way:

Social media reacts to Jordan Faison touchdown reception

Good job, young man.

As the Sun Bowl goes on, it appears to be more academic for Notre Dame. While the offense has had more explosive games this year, it also is benefiting from a dominant defense that has kept Oregon State in check.

Sooner or later, another Irish touchdown was going to come. That’s just what happened when [autotag]Steve Angeli[/autotag] hit [autotag]Jordan Faison[/autotag] for a 13-yard touchdown on third down, giving the Irish a 24-0 lead:

Faison has had a couple of nice catches in this game, and it hopefully is serving as an omen for how Faison can contribute in 2024 and beyond. Whether it’s Angeli, [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] or someone else under center next season, Faison definitely has the tools to stand out among a receiving corps that is getting more talented every year.

We’ll see how Faison does in the future, but for now, let’s look at some of the reactions social media had to his touchdown:

Sun Bowl: Oregon State without top receiver for second half

This won’t help Oregon State’s chances.

Oregon State’s offense struggled mightily to move the ball in the first half of Friday’s Sun Bowl against Notre Dame and that task will get even more difficult in the final 30 minutes.

The Beavers have officially ruled receiver Silas Bolden out for the second half due to injury.  Bolden had three receptions for 28 yards in the first half (Oregon State totaled just 103-yards in the first half).  He also led the Beavers with 51 receptions for 718 yards and five touchdowns this year.

Notre Dame is looking for their 10th win of the season, something they’ve accomplished five times since the 2017 season.

Social media reacts to Jadarian Price’s touchdown before halftime

That’s how you extend a lead.

After Notre Dame’s first touchdown, the offense hit a bit of a snag. It seemed like 7-0 would stay the score at halftime of the Sun Bowl. But never say never because things have a way of working out.

Oregon State tried a fake punt on fourth down near midfield late in the second quarter, but the Irish’s defense quickly snuffed that out:

Irish fans eagerly awaited to see what their team would do starting at the Beavers’ 44-yard line. The answer was a few plays with solid gains and [autotag]Jadarian Price[/autotag] ultimately scoring a 1-yard touchdown to extend the Irish’s lead to 14-0:

Say what you will about the Irish not having every key 2023 player available, but [autotag]Steve Angeli[/autotag] and the rest of the offense have held their own so far. While it wasn’t a perfect first-half performance, it was good enough, and that was all they could ask for.

Here’s how social media reacted to Price’s score:

Social media reacts to Jayden Thomas’ touchdown on Irish’s first drive

Nice start.

Notre Dame is off and running in the Sun Bowl. After the defense forced Oregon State to punt on the game’s opening drive, the offense took over at the 4-yard line. While the Irish mostly ran the ball, [autotag]Steve Angeli[/autotag] completed a 55-yard pass to [autotag]Jordan Faison[/autotag] and also a pass for 8 yards to [autotag]Jayden Thomas[/autotag]. The latter of those passes was good for a touchdown and an early 7-0 Irish lead:

 

The Irish has shown early that they’re ready to play in spite of missing so many familiar names from this season, especially on offense. While there obviously is a lot of game to go, you can’t discount how good both sides have looked so far. Even if things somehow flip the Beavers’ way, the Irish at least can take this part of the first quarter with them.

Here are some of the best reactions to Thomas’ score on social media: