INSIGHT BOWL Irish come up short on promise

Notre Dame vowed to beat Oregon State for Tyrone Willingham.
PHOENIX (AP) -- Derek Anderson enhanced his future with a big final game for Oregon State -- against a Notre Dame team whose epilogue to the Ty Willingham era was just another loss.
Anderson threw for 358 yards and tied an Insight Bowl record with four touchdown passes Tuesday night in the Beavers' 38-21 victory over the Irish.
The senior quarterback completed 28-of-45 passes with no interceptions in a game that should help his prospects in the NFL draft.
Anderson said he would take the next term off to stay in Arizona and hone his skills.
The Irish (6-6) spoke repeatedly about winning the game for Willingham, fired at the end of the regular season. But Sammie Stroughter's 52-yard punt return and Derrick Doggett's blocked punt helped Oregon State to an early 21-0 lead.
"The short field position the first half just killed us," Notre Dame interim coach Kent Baer said. "The blocked punt and the punt return, you take that away, and it's a much closer game -- but that's all part of it."
Within striking distance
Brady Quinn threw two touchdown passes as Notre Dame twice cut the lead to 10 points, the last on an 18-yard throw to Rhema McKnight that made it 31-21 with 4:52 left.
The Irish's onside-kick attempt backfired and left Oregon State at the Notre Dame 28. Dwight Wright's 3-yard TD run with 3:19 left sealed the victory.
The Irish lost their seventh consecutive bowl game. Notre Dame's last postseason victory was in the Cotton Bowl at the end of the 1993 season.
Oregon State improved to 2-0 against Notre Dame. Five seasons ago, the Beavers pounded the Irish 41-9 just down the road at the Fiesta Bowl.
The Irish pass defense crumbled in three consecutive season-ending losses, allowing 14 TD passes against Pittsburgh, Southern California and Oregon State.
Dealt with situation
With Willingham ousted, and hired as head coach at Washington, the Irish played under Baer, Notre Dame's defensive coordinator. New Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis, offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, takes over the Irish program when his NFL season ends.
"I'd be lying if I told you it didn't affect some people," Quinn said. "You try your best, at least as much as you can, and try not to look too far ahead or too far back.
"I think this team dealt with this situation that we were given as good as any team could."