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Oregon State v Oregon
For the first time since 2010, Notre Dame will head to the Sun Bowl in El Paso on Dec. 29, facing Oregon State. The No. 19 Beavers (8-4) finished their regular season on a two-game losing streak, falling to top-10 opponents to ruin their Thanksgiving week.
The No. 16 Irish (9-3) will not represent as distinct a challenge according to rankings, but given Oregon State went 0-3 against teams currently in the top 25, Notre Dame should be favored when kickoff comes at 2 ET on CBS.
The Beavers entered 2023 a trendy darkhorse to win the Pac 12, but those hopes were dashed by the end of September with a 38-35 loss at Washington State.
Yet, Oregon State’s 2023 warrants worry from the Irish and their fans alike. A look at its advanced stats profile makes it clear the Sun Bowl wil be a physical affair. The Beavers run the ball more than 3 percent more often than would be expected when considering game state (score, down, distance, field position, time, etc.). With Notre Dame down to only two genuinely healthy receivers, freshmen Jaden Greathouse and Jordan Faison, with up to four others coming off injuries, led by sixth-year former walk-on Matt Salerno and junior Jayden Thomas, offensive coordinator Gerad Parker may take a similar approach.
That does not mean it will be a boring affair. Oregon State and Notre Dame each rank in the top 10 in expected points added per rushing attempt.
That should not change despite the Beavers now being without most of their coaching staff — head coach Jonathan Smith has accepted the Michigan State job and is bringing most of his staff with him; some could theoretically remain for the bowl game, to be determined — as well as quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who has already announced his return to the transfer portal after scoring a total of 27 touchdowns this season.
Freshman…
[ad_2]Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/notre-dame-vs-oregon-state-225425244.html
Author : NBC Sports
Publish date : 2023-12-03 22:54:25
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