The Ducks (11-2) reached the New Year’s Six bowl after participating in the Pac-12 Championship Game on Dec. 1. The Flames (13-0) marked their inaugural season in Conference USA by going unbeaten and winning the conference title, earning them a No. 23 ranking from the College Football Playoff selection committee and thus the “Group of Five” leagues’ automatic berth in a New Year’s Six game.
Oregon and Liberty have never met in football. The Ducks are making their fourth all-time appearance in the Fiesta Bowl, having beaten Colorado to cap the 2001 season and Kansas State to wrap up the 2012 season; the Ducks also reached the game to cap the COVID-disrupted 2020 season.
Monday’s game will be televised by ESPN, with Bob Wischusen providing play by play, analysis from Robert Griffin III and sideline reporting by Kris Budden.
Some storylines to watch come kickoff …
1. For the second time this season, the Ducks will look to bounce back after a tough result their last time out.
When Oregon took the field for the Pac-12 Championship, the stakes included not only a league title but potentially a College Football Playoff berth and a Heisman Trophy. The Ducks have had a month to recalibrate since that game in Las Vegas, processing that disappointment while preparing for the Fiesta Bowl.
“That doesn’t leave your system; it’s something you think about consistently,” UO coach Dan Lanning said this week. “It can be part of your fuel for the future and what you want to be able to accomplish down the road. But I think you will always remember the things that didn’t go your way.”
The Ducks will look to show Monday they’ve channeled that frustration the right way.
2. The mood around the team was buoyed in the wake of the Fiesta Bowl announcement when veterans including quarterback Bo Nix, running back Bucky Irving and defensive lineman Brandon Dorlus all committed to playing in this game.
In an era when veterans with high NFL Draft stock regularly opt out of non-playoff bowl games, some of Oregon’s best leaders will be in uniform Monday.
“It means the world, as much for me as it is for them,” Lanning said. “Anybody who is a competitor wants that opportunity to go out there and compete. I think a lot of people will sit here and say, what are you playing for? An opportunity to go play…
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