No. 8 Oregon Ducks to face No. 23 Liberty Flames in Fiesta Bowl
For the first time since 2020, the Oregon Ducks are headed to a New Year’s Six bowl game.
No. 8 Oregon (11-2) will face the No. 23 Liberty Flames (13-0) in the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz. on Jan. 1 at 10 a.m. PT.
“Just got done meeting with our players not too long ago, and our guys are thrilled and excited about the opportunity,” Dan Lanning said via a conference call on Sunday. “One of the best things about bowl games is the opportunity to go finish this season with a highlight. And our guys are really pumped about this game, in particular, to have the opportunity to play such a formidable opponent. Coach (Jamie Chadwell) has done an unbelievable job there at Liberty, playing this season and finishing with an undefeated season. … We didn’t finish quite the way we wanted. So getting an opportunity to play in a game like this is exactly what our guys are wanting to do and are excited to do. To get to do it in a venue like the Fiesta Bowl is really important.”
It will mark the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
According to FanDuel, Oregon is a 13.5-point favorite.
Oregon is 2-1 all-time in the Fiesta Bowl. The last time the Ducks were selected for the game, they fell 34-17 to Iowa State in 2020.
The Ducks will look to end their season on a high note after they lost to Washington in the Pac-12 title game on Dec. 1, and were eliminated from the College Football Playoff in the process.
During Sunday’s media availability, Lanning was asked if there is any sort of letdown with the Oregon program that, after having goals of playing for a national title, the Ducks will now face a non-Power-5 opponent.
“There’s zero pushback in our building because we know exactly how talented Liberty is and what they’re capable of,” Lanning said. “To go undefeated in a season I think speaks volumes. More than anything, the opportunity for our players to go out there on the field one more time and have a great experience — to go perform, show up, and put our best foot forward. We talked about playing our best ball towards the end of the season. Well, this is your opportunity to do that and to get to do it against a team that has gone through the season unblemished.
“I think it is really special. And I’m thrilled for our guys to get to step on the field against the team that we get to play and prepare and put our best foot forward. … Last year you look at a game similar to this, Tulane was able to go upset a team in USC when they got the opportunity to go play in this game. So we know exactly what Liberty is capable of. I’m excited to dive in on the film.”
