ISD Staff Game Predictions: Oregon State

Here we are.  The last game of the 2023 season. Two teams with completely different starting situations will battle today when the Irish take on Oregon State in the Sun Bowl.  Both teams will have a lot of new faces on offense, while their defenses return a lot of the same players which created winning seasons for each team.  Which team will come out on top?  

Mike Frank

I think a lot of Irish fans are expecting Notre Dame to cruise to a win Friday, but I think the victory will be tougher than some think.  Oregon State has a salty defense, and most of those same players who played the Pac 12 tough are playing in this game.  More important, they have some very good edge rushers who will be facing two very inexperienced offensive tackles from Notre Dame.  That should cause some issues unless Notre Dame can just pound the football in the run game, which certainly is a possibility. 

My guess is that is will be the Irish game plan—to try to run the football--especially with an inexperienced QB starting as well.  But, my guess is Oregon State will try to take that away.  

I expect a bit of cat and mouse in this game, but in the end, Notre Dame just has the superior defense, and I just don’t expect Oregon State to score many points in this game.  The Irish offense should win if it can score 17, which I think they will.

Notre Dame 27, Oregon State 13

Andrew Mentock

This game is difficult to predict given the influx of opt-outs and transfer portal entrants from both rosters. 

Overall, I feel that benefits Notre Dame, which still has most of its defense intact. The Irish also have greater depth, which will help them handle the loss of so much talent with minimal impact. 

Notre Dame 28, Oregon State 17

Matt Freeman

Notre Dame will have a chance to show how much depth it has built over the last few years on Friday. The Irish will enter the game in a better spot with personnel and that includes talent. This game will have several ugly moments as both teams will be starting several reserves and players without much experience, but athletes matter. Look for Notre Dame's explosive running back tandem in Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price to get loose and show a preview of what's to come in 2024 as neither need a massive hole to take it the distance. Notre Dame's defense will be much of the same as it has been all year with the Irish winning the turnover battle 4-1. 

Notre Dame 34, Oregon State 13

Jamie Uyeyama

It's really impossible to have too many expectations for this game with so many players unavailable from both teams. The only thing that seems certain is that the under will probably hit because most of Notre Dame's defense is returning and most of Oregon State's offense isn't. I can't see the Beavers having much success throughout the course of the game because of that.

It will be really interesting to watch the Irish offense with two new tackles and a new quarterback. I'm sure they will have their share of struggles. I also feel pretty confident that Steve Angeli will find a way to move the football because that's what he's been able to do whenever given an opportunity.

Angeli doesn't quite go off, but he gets the job done with some help from big games from both Jadarian Price and Jeremiyah Love.

Notre Dame 27, Oregon State 13

Greg Flammang

During the season, a matchup between these two teams would have been very intriguing. 

Both play a similar style offensively, both would have featured transfer quarterbacks, and both are strong defensively. One of the better games of the season for Notre Dame and a very good test. 

In the bowl game, though, the teams are shells of themselves. Oregon State is down all of their top offensive players, including their top two quarterbacks, as well as several defensive starters. 

For their part, Notre Dame is down top players as well, especially offensively, notably Joe Alt and Blake Fisher on the offensive line. 

But of the two teams, the Irish ought to be way more equipped to handle such defections. They still have talented running backs to lean on, Jayden Thomas and Jaden Greathouse are healthy again together for the first time since September, and the defense is largely intact, minus a couple key starters. 

On paper, this is a game Notre Dame should have the depth to win rather handily against a third team quarterback that lost the majority of his coaching staff and supporting players. 

Notre Dame 30, Oregon State 10

Christian McCollum

The Irish defense doesn't just suffocate an undermatched Beaver offense, Al Golden's unit is so dominant, it actually puts Oregon State's own defense at a disadvantage.

Notre Dame causes multiple turnovers, including one that is returned for a touchdown and another that sets up its offense deep in plus-territory to set up another one.

Those two plays alone would been close to enough for the Irish as Oregon State never truly threatens to sustain any true threat on offense.

Meanwhile, Steve Angeli plays the role of distributor, getting the ball in the hands of playmakers like Jeremiyah Love, Jayden Thomas and Jaden Greathouse to not just control the ball, but move it and ultimately score points.

This one isn't close...unless you bet the total of 41.5.

Notre Dame 31, Oregon State 10