EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Bowl game opt outs are nothing new to the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl and the trend continued on Monday, as Notre Dame quarterback Sam Hartman elected to forego the game to focus on the NFL Draft.
Hartman made the unsurprising announcement on his social media pages, becoming the third major contributor off of the 16th-ranked Fighting Irish’s offense to opt out of the 90th Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl on Dec. 29 vs. No. 19 Oregon State.
After transferring to Notre Dame from Wake Forest, Hartman had a solid senior season for the Fighting Irish, leading them to a 9-3 record and throwing for 2,689 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions in his sixth year of eligibility.
Steve Angeli will start the Sun Bowl in Hartman’s place, setting up a battle of backup quarterbacks in El Paso on Dec. 29.
Oregon State starter DJ Uiagalelei (2,638 yards, 21 touchdowns, seven interceptions) entered the transfer portal following the conclusion of the regular season and backup Aidan Chiles hit the portal last week, meaning Beavers third-stringer Ben Gulbranson will start for OSU in the Sun Bowl.
Gulbranson played in 10 games for the Beavers in 2022, throwing for 1,455 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions, while leading Oregon State to a 30-3 win in the Las Vegas Bowl over Florida.
The Beavers will also be without star running back Damien Martinez, after he was arrested for a DUI following the conclusion of the regular season. Martinez rushed for 1,185 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023.
So far, Notre Dame’s All-American tailback Audric Estime has not indicated whether or not he will opt out of the Sun Bowl, but many projections have him playing in the game. Estime rushed for 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2023.
The 2023 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl kicks off at noon on Dec. 29 at Sun Bowl Stadium, the 90th edition of El Paso’s game.
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