PHOENIX - 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.

He plans to play in the Senior Bowl.

"Then we'll see where football takes me from there," he said. "Hopefully, I can continue my career."

The Beavers (7-5) won six of their last seven, largely because Anderson overcame his reputation for throwing interceptions about as often as he threw for touchdowns.

"If you look at us over the last six or seven weeks, it was just a great, great job of quarterbacking," Oregon State coach Mike Riley said. "I think Derek probably made a lot of money in the last few weeks."

Anderson moved ahead of Steve Stenstrom to No. 2 on the Pac-10 career list with 11,249 yards passing. Only Carson Palmer (11,818) had more.

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."

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.

The Beavers had TD drives of only 26, 4 and 45 yards take their early lead, then went 90 yards in 12 plays midway through the second half after Notre Dame had cut the lead to 24-14. Anderson's 1-yard TD toss to Newton capped the long drive, and it was 31-14 with 12:17 to play.

"That was a big drive," Anderson said. "We were talking on the sidelines and said, `Let's go answer it.'"

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."

Baer, who might join Willingham at Washington, said it had been an emotional month for the coaches and the players.

"I think there is a definite bond that has been created over this," he said. "That's a great group of young men in there. I'm very proud of how they played, and I can't say enough about them."

The capacity crowd of 45,917 was the largest since the Insight Bowl moved to Bank One Ballpark six years ago. The roof was open at kickoff, but was closed in the first quarter as a light rain fell.