• With a veteran defense and a third-year coordinator (Al Golden) going against an inexperienced offensive line and new offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock, the 93rd annual Blue-Gold Game has the earmarks of a low-scoring affair.
2022: Steve Angeli’s 10-yard touchdown run as time expired lifted the Gold team to a 13-10 victory over the Blue squad in Marcus Freeman’s first Blue-Gold game as Irish head coach.
• Since 1997, Jaden Greathouse’s 118 yards receiving in the 2023 Blue-Gold Game is the fifth most.
• Since 1997, the most rushing yards by an individual in a Blue-Gold game is 142 by Clement Stokes in 1997.
• Since 1997, Brandon Wimbush has thrown for the most and second-most passing yards in a Blue-Gold Game.
• The most tackles recorded in a Blue-Gold Game since 1997 were made by LB-Steve Filer (12 in 2010).
• The longest run in a Blue-Gold Game since 1997 was made by RB-Travis Thomas when he scampered 83 yards in 2006.
• Five defensive players have scored on interceptions in the Blue-Gold Game since 1997.
• With an inexperienced offensive line and new offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock facing off against a seasoned defense and third-year coordinator Al Golden, the 93rd annual Blue-Gold Game appears certain to be a low-scoring contest.
That should be another low-scoring event. The previous three Blue-Gold Games were played in 2023 (24-0), 2022 (13-10), and 2021 (17-3). For the previous two Blue-Gold Games, Marcus Freeman served as head coach.
2023: The Wake Forest transfer Sam Hartman found touchdowns to wide receivers Jayden Thomas (9) and Matt Salerno (13). Hartman also scored on a one-yard run, and the Gold team shut out the Blue team 24-0. The score was completed by a 28-yard field goal made by Zac Yoakam.
Blue had four first downs compared to 18 for the Gold team.
Walk-on Sam Assaf led the Gold team in rush yards with 42 on 14 totes, while Gi’Bran Payne led all rushers with 51 yards on 11 carries. Freshman wide receiver Jaden Greathouse made an early entry and hauled in 11 passes for 118 yards on 13 targets. For 71 yards, Jayden Thomas caught four passes on six targets.
The Gold teammate Steve Angeli finished 8 of 12 passes for 72 yards. The Blue team’s quarterbacks were Kenny Minchey and Tyler Buchner. With a pick by CB Jordan Mickey, Buchner finished 8 of 18 passes for 44 yards. Just two out of seven yards were Minchey’s. In the fourth quarter, S-Xavier Watts intercepted walk-on quarterback Dylan Devezin.
While LB Jaylen Sneed caught seven ball carriers for the Gold, LB Nolan Ziegler led the Blue team with a game-high 10 tackles. The following players recorded sacks: Ziegler, DE-Jordan Botelho, DT-Howard Cross III, DE-Joshua Burnham, DT-Jason Onye, DE-Niuafe Tuihalamaka, and DE-Tyson Ford.
In the first Blue-Gold game Marcus Freeman coached the Irish in, the Gold team defeated the Blue team 13–10 thanks to a 10-yard touchdown run by Steve Angeli with seconds remaining.
During the game-winning drive, Angeli completed 8 of 8 passes for 66 yards, including a 16-yard pass to Jayden Thomas and a 15-yard pass to walk-on tight end Charlie Selna. Additionally, a 15-yard targeting penalty was assessed against CB Ryan Barnes.
RB: Jadarian Price only gained 12 yards on nine carries for the Gold team, but he also caught eight passes for 104 yards, including a touchdown swing pass from Steve Angeli that he ran for 51 yards.
A two-yard pass from Drew Pyne to walk-on tight end Andrew Yanoshak gave the Blue team a 10-0 lead at the half, following Blake Grupe’s 36-yard field goal in the second quarter. On 13 carries, Blue team running back Audric Estime gained 59 yards. The last 13 points were scored by the Gold team.
Pyne completed 13 of 23 passes for 129 yards and two interceptions, one by Jordan Botelho and the other by Clarence Lewis. Angeli completed 11 of 13 passes for 180 yards.
• In the 2023 Blue-Gold Game, Jaden Greathouse’s 118 yards of receiving rank fifth most since 1997. In no way. Number one on the list is Chase Claypool (151 in 2018), with Javin Hunter (143 in 1999), Miles Boykin (132 in 2018), and Lawrence Keys (115 in 2021).
Since 1997, several players have achieved 100 yards or more: Malcolm Johnson (110 in 1998), Chris Brown (105 in 2014), Jadarian Price (104 in 2022), and Boykin (102 in 2017). Of the top 10, Price is the only one returning. In the 2006 spring game, Jeff Samardzija recorded 93 receiving yards.
• Since 1997, Clement Stokes has had the record for the most rushing yards in a Blue-Gold game with 142. In 1995–1997, Stokes gained 387 yards through rushing on 87 carries.
Several other Blue-Gold Game rushers who have reached the 100-yard mark since 1997 are Greg Bryant (101 in 2014), Robert Hughes (100 in 2008), Cierre Wood (110 in 2010), Dexter Williams (117 in 2018), and George Atkinson III (124 in 2012).
• In a Blue-Gold Game since 1997, Brandon Wimbush has thrown for both the most and second-most passing yards. In the match against 2018 and 2017, Wimbush passed for 341 yards. Ian Book threw for the third-most in 2018 (292), the fifth-most in 2017 (177), and the ninth-most in 2019 (220).
A few more in the top ten are No. Four Malik Zaire (292 in 2014), No. Brady Quinn (263 in 2004) is number six. 7 Prickly Jackson (248 in 1998) and No. In 2010, Nate Montana had 223 points.
• Starting linebacker Steve Filer recorded the most tackles (12) in a Blue-Gold Game since 1997. After that, LB-Nolan Ziegler (10 in 2023) and LB-Paul Moala (2019), LB-Drue Tranquill (2018), and LB-Ronnie Nicks (1999) will each have nine. S-Jarvis Edison (1997), LB-Jack Kiser (2021), LB-Jarrett Grace (2013), DE-Ishaq Williams (2013), LB-Manti Te’o (2010), LB-Carlos Pierre-Antoine (2000), and LB-Manti Te’o (2010) all had eight.
• In 2006, RB Travis Thomas ran 83 yards for the longest run in a Blue-Gold Game since 1997. An 85-yard pass play from Ian Book to Chase Claypool in 2018 was the longest pass-play combination. The sixth-longest swing pass of the season went to Jadarian Price from Steve Angeli for 51 yards.
Since 1997, the Blue-Gold Game has seen five defensive players score on interceptions. Allen Rossum (70 yards in 1997), Robert Blanton (48 yards in 2009), S. Cooper (45 yards in 1999), Shane Walton (44 yards in 2001), and Rocky Boiman (LB) are the players in question.
