Fiesta Bowl Preview: Oregon Faces Liberty in New Year's Showdown
The No. 8 Oregon Ducks (11-2, 8-2 Pac-12) take on the No. 23 Liberty Flames (13-0, 9-0 Conference USA) on New Year's Day with a chance to have the fifth 12-win season in program history.
"One of the best things about bowl games is the opportunity to go finish this season with a highlight," said Oregon head coach Dan Lanning. "And our guys are really pumped about this game, in particular, to have the opportunity to play such a formidable opponent.”
Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning in the Pac-12 championship game.
Darby Winter/Ducks Digest
The Ducks look to win their third Fiesta Bowl in their fourth appearance in the New Year’s Six Bowl, while the undefeated Flames look to win their first New Year’s Six Bowl game.
Oregon is coming off a loss 34-31 to No. 2 Washington in the Pac-12 Championship where Dillon Johnson ran all over the Ducks' top-ten rushing defense. Oregon's defense will have its hands full again as they will face the best-rushing offense in the country.
Liberty averages about 303 rushing yards per game making the formidable offense the third-highest total offense in the country behind only LSU and Oregon.
"Really talented team that runs the ball extremely well,” Lanning said of Liberty. “The quarterback, that is really elusive and creates big plays. An explosive offense, they're really successful. There's a reason they're undefeated.”
The Ducks have faced some of the best passing offenses in the country in Washington, Washington State and USC, but they haven't faced many run-heavy offenses like Liberty. The Flames will put this top-ten rushing defense to the test and whichever side establishes its dominance in the trenches will set the tempo for the game.
Speaking of tempo, Liberty’s rushing offense poses a threat to not only Oregon’s defense but their offense as well. If the Flames can establish the run game, they’d also control the clock and leave less time for Oregon’s offense and keep Heisman finalist Bo Nix off the field.
Oregon hasn’t quite faced an offense like Liberty’s because of dual-threat quarterback Kaidon Salter.
"With him being such a great athlete,” linebacker Jeffrey Bassa said. “I think you also got to have respect for the run. They have good running backs and then you also have to account for the quarterback, too.”
Oregon Ducks linebacker Jeffrey Bassa tackles Dillon Johnson during the Pac-12 championship.
Darby Winter/Ducks Digest
Even though Liberty has the best-rushing offense in the country and is undefeated, the Flames haven’t faced a team like Oregon all season and are only in a New Year’s Six Bowl game because they are the best group of five team in the country.
Oregon’s rush defense, even with Popo Aumavae opting out, is more than equipped to handle a rushing attack like Liberty’s and the Flames haven’t had to face an offense like Oregon’s all season.
The Ducks may not have Biletnikoff semifinalist, Troy Franklin and Rimington Tropy Jackson Powers-Johnson available, but Oregon will still have Nix at the helm for the final time as he looks to end his college career on a high note.
Nix and the Ducks are excited at the chance to win another game against a quality opponent.
"We were excited to be playing the Fiesta Bowl,” he said. “We were excited we were going to have a chance to play in a New Year's Six bowl game. That doesn't happen every year, and we're excited to be there. The opponent is something that is not in our hands, but we're excited to play a team like Liberty. I think it's a good opportunity for both of us."
Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix throws a pass against Oregon State.
Darby Winter/Ducks Digest
Nix has the chance to add to his legacy at Oregon in the program's fifth New Year’s Six Bowl game appearance, as a win in the Fiesta Bowl could make the case that this Oregon team could be a top-five team in program history.
Lanning has laid the foundation of what his Oregon program will be: a top-ten defense, an explosive offense and the best players on both sides of the trenches. That's a formula that will lead the Ducks to further success in the Big Ten as Oregon prepares to play their final game representing the Pac-12.
