Oregon State falls to Notre Dame in Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl, 40-8

Notre Dame running back Jadarian Price (24) avoids the tackle by Oregon State defensive back Kitan Oladapo (28) during the second half of the Sun Bowl NCAA college football game, Friday, Dec. 29, 2023, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Andres Leighton)

750 THE GAME STAFF

The Oregon State Beavers closed up shop on the 2023 campaign with a 40-8 defeat on Friday in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl in El Paso, Tex.

Notre Dame quarterback Steve Angelli threw for 3 touchdowns 232 yards while Beavers starting QB Ben Gulbranson finished 16-for-27 for 180 yards and an interception.

The Beavers finish the season 8-5 after starting 8-2 and being ranked No. 11 in the College Football Playoff rankings before losses to Washington and Oregon to end the season. Head Coach Jonathan Smith was announced as the new head coach at Michigan State hours after the rivalry loss to the Ducks, and defensive coordinator Trent Bray was shortly hired as the new head coach at Oregon State.

Bray was not head coach for Friday’s Sun Bowl, as Kefense Hynson served as interim head coach.

OSU trailed 14-0 at halftime and then by as much as 33-0 before Gulbranson found receiver Jimmy Valsin III on 33-yard touchdown. Offensive Lineman Tyler Voltin ran in a two-point conversion out of the wildcat formation to punch in another two points for the Beavers.

Now, Oregon State moves ahead to a 2024 season with Bray in charge of bolstering a roster that’s featured a handful of key departures, and a question at quarterback. OSU did land a pair of transfer quarterbacks in recent weeks with Idaho’s Gevani McCoy announcing his commitment as well as Missouri’s Gabarri Johnson.

Notre Dame finishes the season 10-3 under second-year head coach Marcus Freeman.