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Notre Dame Sun Bowl roster set; which starters will play?

IMG_7504by:Jack Soble•12/16/23•

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Javontae Jean-Baptiste by Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports
Notre Dame defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste, who spent his first five seasons at Ohio State, celebrates a Fighting Irish stop against Duke during the 2023 season. (Jaylynn Nash-USA TODAY Sports)

Notre Dame’s roster for the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl is set, Irish head coach Marcus Freeman confirmed Saturday. Anyone who has not announced their intention to skip the Dec. 29 bowl game in El Paso, Texas, is expected to play.

That includes graduate defensive end Javontae Jean-Baptiste, who is out of eligibility after the bowl game and accepted an invite to the East-West Shrine Bowl on Friday. It also includes graduate linebacker JD Bertrand, who will play in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., next month.

Here are the Notre Dame starters who will suit up in blue and gold one more time in 2023, as well as the starters who have moved onto either the transfer portal or the 2024 NFL Draft.

For the purpose of this story, any player who has started more than one game this season is considered a starter.

Notre Dame starters who will miss the Sun Bowl

Freeman disagrees with several of his players’ decision to opt out of the Sun Bowl, he said Saturday. With Hartman in particular, whom he previously believed would play, he could only say he made the decision that his quarterback believed was best for him.

“As I’ve told all of the guys that have opted out, I can disagree with your decision and still support you,” Freeman said. “And that’s the same thing I’ve told Sam and every single one that opted out. I disagree, I think you should play, but I love you, I support you and you’re gonna do great things.”

Fighting Irish starters expected to play in the Sun Bowl

Getting Cross, Kiser and Mills back — not just for the bowl game, but for the 2024 season — is huge for Notre Dame, Freeman said.

“Not only are they great football players and productive football players and experienced football players, they’re great leaders,” Freeman said. “To have those three guys commit to coming back for another season, it speaks volumes on them in terms of what their aspirations are.”

All three told Freeman that they want to be a captain with the Irish next season. The veteran leadership that defined the stout 2023 defense will return in 2024.

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