Notre Dame Offense Sets Multiple Scoring Records In 2023

Notre Dame capped off the 2023 season with several school scoring records

Notre Dame's offense received plenty of criticisms and complaints this season, and at times it was warranted. Lost in much of that is that fans actually witnessed one of the most prolific Notre Dame offenses in program history. It was certainly the best scoring offense the program has ever had, and it wasn't all that close.

Notre Dame finished off the season with a 40-8 victory over Oregon State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, and the performance from the offense was one of the best we've seen all season. The Irish were balanced and dominated the Beavers in every facet of the game.

The 40 point performance ensured that Notre Dame would set multiple program scoring records. Not modern records, mind you, the Irish offense in 2023 shattered all-time program records.

One record was already broken, and the margin was simply expanded. That would be the record for most 40-point performances in a season, with the 40 points against Oregon State marking the 9th time the Irish have scored at least 40 points in a game all season. The previous record was six games with at least 40 points, which was accomplished four times in school history, with the 2020 season being the most recent.

If your pushback is the special teams and defense accounted for some of those points as well, you'd be correct, but the 2023 team still owns that record. The 2023 offense scored at least 40 points six times this season without any help from other phases of the game, which still owns the all-time record. If you did the same for past teams they would also lose games for those reasons.

Notre Dame also set the all-time points record, topping 500 points for the first time in program history. Notre Dame's 509 points this season broke the previous record of 478 points, which was set in 2019. Notre Dame broke that record when Jadarian Price raced into the end zone late in the second quarter.

The 40 points against Oregon State allowed Notre Dame to finish the season with a 39.2 points per game average, which also set a program record. The modern record was set in 1968 when the Irish offense scored 37.6 points per game. That was an offense led by Terry Hanratty, Jim Seymour and Bob Gladieux. The all-time record, which dates back to before World War II (when begins the modern era), was 38.3 points per game, a mark that was set back in 1913. 

That means the scoring mark that was set this season broke a record that was set when Knute Rockne was in his final season as a player at Notre Dame.

Notre Dame scoring 40 points against Oregon State marked the first time in program history that the Irish have scored at least 40 points in back-to-back bowl games, and the 32-point margin of victory was the largest for a bowl game in Notre Dame history.

Notre Dame final scoring margin was 39.2 points per game for to 15.9 points per game against. That 23.3 points per game difference was the program's highest since the 1973 national title winning team.

This Notre Dame team clearly didn't win a title, and there is plenty of room for improvement, especially in big games. But the fact there's so much more room for improvement, combined with the pending arrivals of Mike Denbrock (offensive coordinator), Riley Leonard (quarterback), the arrival of several talented newcomers, and with so many talented players returning for next season, there is certainly plenty of reason for Notre Dame fans to believe the offense is on the verge of becoming one of the best in college football.

They are on the doorstep, now it's time to take the next step and not only put up big time numbers, but to also start doing it in the biggest games.

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