Notre Dame QB Sam Hartman will not be playing in the Sun Bowl against Oregon State. It means that Hartman has played his last game for the Fighting Irish and in college football, having previously played for Wake Forest.
Hartman was widely expected to play; however, he has decided to sit out of the Sun Bowl as he prepares for the next stage of his career.
Why Is Sam Hartman Not Playing in the Sun Bowl?
ESPN reported on Dec. 11 that Hartman had opted out of the Sun Bowl and had declared for the NFL Draft.
Hartman posted a thank you video on his Instagram. Meanwhile, a team spokesperson confirmed Hartman had played his last game for the Irish.
Finishing the season with 2,689 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and eight interceptions, Hartman had a great year in South Bend. Having previously played at Wake Forest before transferring to Notre Dame for his final season, Hartman has now exhausted his college football eligibility and is turning his attention to the NFL Draft.
MORE: College Football Bowl Game Opt-Out Tracker
The decision to opt out of the bowl game surprised many. It was thought that Hartman would consider playing as he looked to move up the all-time stats list.
As a sixth-year senior, Hartman finishes his college career fifth in all-time career passing yards with 15,656. If he had managed to pass for more than 137 yards in the Sun Bowl, Hartman would have overtaken Graham Harrell to move up to fourth on the list.
He is also tied for third in all-time career touchdowns with Harrell on 134. He would be in sole possession of the position if he were to pass for a touchdown.
Despite the opportunity to move up the all-time list, the Notre Dame QB will not be in El Paso for the Sun Bowl.
In his Instagram post, Hartman shared, “To college football: You’ve been my world for as long as I can remember — dreaming as a kid of the big games, taking the field with thousands of fans screaming my name. Although some games didn’t go my way and some moments left me unsettled, I cherish you and the memories you allowed me to create through hardship and defeat, mentors and lessons, and unselfish teammates that helped guide me along the way.”
Finishing, Hartman said, “Although my journey of football is not yet finished, a part of me will always be with you. Thank you for allowing me to stick around, and I hope you had as much fun as I did.”
Who Is the QB for Notre Dame in the Sun Bowl?
With Hartman opting out, backup QB Steve Angeli will be the starter in the Sun Bowl. He played in seven games in 2023, coming on in relief for Hartman late in games. Angeli completed 19 passes for 272 yards and four touchdowns.
No matter how good Angeli may play against Oregon State in the Sun Bowl, he will unlikely be the starter for the Fighting Irish in 2024.
Notre Dame made a huge splash in the transfer portal for a second straight year, signing Riley Leonard after he decided to leave Duke. It is the second time they have landed a veteran in the portal after pursuing Hartman a year ago.
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