If one just looks at the betting line, The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl would have the potential to be a one-sided affair, with little drama.
Yet there are so many interesting facets to this game when Liberty (13-0) takes on Oregon (11-2) in the 1 p.m. ET New Year’s Day matchup in Glendale, Arizona.
Oregon is a 17.5-point favorite according to BetMGM, the largest of any bowl game.
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A major reason is that Liberty, the Conference USA champ, has yet to play a Power Five team. The Flames will enter this game with a major chip on their shoulder. Yet this season, Liberty has twice beaten New Mexico State, including a 49-35 win in the Conference USA title game.
New Mexico State finished 10-5, although the Aggies didn’t do Liberty any favors by being pummeled by Fresno State, 37-10 in the New Mexico Bowl.
Still, it was New Mexico State which earned a late-season 31-10 win at Auburn.
That was the same Auburn team that had Alabama buried until allowing a TD on a 4th-and-31 play in a 27-24 loss to visiting Alabama.
That is the same Alabama team that is in the College Football Playoffs.
Does that mean that Liberty would be competitive with Alabama, or for that matter Oregon?
Not necessarily, but it’s the best that Liberty has to show. And the Flames, under first-year coach Jamey Chadwell, have proven to be one of the most exciting teams in the country.
3 Key Fiesta Bowl Storylines
1) Bring your calculators
Points shouldn’t be too difficult to come by in this game. BetMGM lists the Over/Under at 65.5. Oregon entered the bowl season second nationally in scoring, averaging 44.2 PPG. Liberty was fifth at 40.8 PPG.
The Ducks are second nationally in passing offense, averaging 342.8 yards per game. Liberty is No. 1 in rushing offense, averaging 302.9 yards per game.
2) The quarterbacks
This game features two of the most productive quarterbacks in the country.
Bo Nix, Oregon
When the bowl bids were announced, there was immediate speculation that Nix would bypass the Fiesta Bowl to prepare for his NFL career, but Oregon coach Dan Lanning has continued to insist that the 6-2, 217-pound Nix will be playing.
A Heisman finalist and Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, Nix entered the bowl season leading the country in completion percentage (77.2%). He has thrown 40 touchdown passes, which is tied for the lead in the nation with Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels of LSU (who will not play in his team’s bowl game). Nix is also second nationally in passing yards (4,145). He is also second in points most responsible for per game (21.5). In addition, Nix has thrown just three interceptions.
This is Nix’s fifth college season, with his first three at Auburn. He has played in 60 college football games.
Nix has also rushed for 228 yards (4.3 avg.) and six touchdowns, but he doesn’t begin to compare as a runner to his counterpart for Liberty.
Kaidon Salter, Liberty
A redshirt sophomore, the 6-1, 200-pound Salter is among the most dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks in the country.
Salter was named the Conference USA Most Valuable Player. This season, he has rushed for 1,064 yards (6.9 avg.) and 12 touchdowns. Salter has also completed 60.9% of his passes for 2,750 yards, 31 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. He entered the bowl season as the nation’s leader in passing yards per completion (16.98) and fifth in points responsible per game (19.8).
Salter was the MVP of the Conference USA title game with 484 yards of total offense. He rushed for 165 yards on 12 carries (13.75 avg.) and a touchdown run of 35 yards. Salter completed 20-of-25 passes for 319 yards, two TDs, and no interceptions.
3) The David vs Goliath factor
As we stated, this is the biggest line of all bowl games. Liberty is out to show that its unbeaten record is on merit and not due to a less-than-demanding schedule. This is truly Liberty’s Super Bowl.
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Notable
*While the offenses will be the focal point, Liberty sixth-year LB Tyren Dupree may receive plenty of screen time. DuPree (6-2, 215) has 115 tackles, which is more than twice as many as any teammate. A former high school quarterback, Dupree also has eight tackles for loss, including 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, and three pass breakups. No wonder he was named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year.
*Liberty has forced 25 turnovers, tied for fourth nationally. Oregon has forced 16 turnovers, but both teams are tied with the same turnover margin of 0.69. That’s because Oregon has committed just seven turnovers and Liberty has committed 16. Both teams are plus-9 in the turnover department.
*Liberty junior RB Quinton Cooley rushed for 1,322 yards (6.2 avg.) and 16 touchdowns. The Wake Forest transfer has had multiple touchdowns in five games, including three during each of his last two games.
*This will be the first meeting between the two schools.
*Oregon is making its 19th consecutive bowl appearance while Liberty will be making its fifth straight bowl appearance.
