Oregon Ducks vs. Liberty Flames: Fiesta Bowl preview, odds, time, TV channel, how to watch live stream online
No. 8 Oregon Ducks (11-2) vs. No. 23 Liberty Flames (13-0)
When: 10 a.m. PT Monday, Jan. 1
Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Ariz.
Coaches: Dan Lanning, second year (21-5); Jamey Chadwell, first year (112-57 overall)
Latest line: Oregon by 18 (odds via Caesars)
TV Channel: ESPN
On air: Radio on 1080 “The Fan” in Portland, KUGN-AM 590 and KUJZ 95.3 in Eugene
How to watch live stream online: You can watch this game live for FREE with Fubo (free trial) or with DirecTV Stream (free trial) or by signing up for Sling (promotional offers, cheapest streaming plans). If you already have cable, you can also watch this game live on Watch ESPN with your cable or satellite provider login information.
What’s at stake: Oregon is vying for its first 12-win season since 2019 and sixth in program history. Bo Nix’s final college game will end a highly decorated college career and he’s in striking distance of the NCAA single-season completion percentage record and Oregon passing records. Tez Johnson could top Troy Franklin’s UO records for receptions. The Ducks would push past LSU for the top scoring and total offense and could finish with the program’s best mark in run defense as well.
With a monumental upset Liberty would have its best win in program history, finish undefeated and give Conference USA its first New Year’s Six win. Group of 5 teams are 4-5 in the New Year’s Six, including 1-1 in the Fiesta Bowl.
Oregon offense vs. Liberty defense
The nation’s most accurate passer, Nix is coming off what we statistically his least accurate performance of the season in the Pac-12 championship game. Liberty leads the country with 21 interceptions. However, the Flames have not faced anyone with the speed of Tez Johnson, combined size and speed of Traeshon Holden, versatility and power of Bucky Irving, size and strength of Oregon’s offensive line or Nix’s abilities. Making matters more difficult, the Flames lost one of their top cornerbacks and multiple defensive linemen to transfer.
Iapani Laloulu’s snapping in his first career start and fellow freshmen getting opportunities at receiver and possibly a prolonged appearance for Austin Novosad should all be worth watching as well.
Oregon defense vs. Liberty offense
The Ducks will be without their top two cornerbacks. Jordan Burch’s status is undetermined, but he practiced Friday and Saturday and should be no less than a questionable. Kaidon Salter is a weapon on the ground and in the vertical passing game for Liberty, which has a 1,300-yard rusher in Quinton Cooley and receiver CJ Daniels should top 1,000 yards during the game. Oregon will be tested by Liberty’s option offense, but its size and speed will be mismatches.
Did you know?
- Nix needs three touchdown passes and 310 passing yards to break the UO single-season records for touchdown passes (42) and passing yards (4,454) held by Marcus Mariota.
- If UO can hold Liberty under 132 rushing yards, it will finish the season averaging less than 100 rushing yards allowed per game for the first time in program history since at least 1952.
Matchup to watch: Oregon’s freshmen cornerbacks and receivers versus Liberty
Jurrion Dickey was the top-ranked recruit in Oregon’s 2023 recruiting class. Rodrick Pleasant was the fastest sprinter in the country. Solomon Davis was a national signing day addition last December. They’ve yet to see significant playing time, due in part to injury for Dickey and Pleasent, but should see significant reps.
Key stat:
Salter needs 250 passing yards to become the 13th quarterback in FBS history with 3,000 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing in a season.
They said it: “I think they’re creativity kind of disrupts quarterbacks and on film you see a lot of guys throwing it to the defense. I don’t know if it’s opportune picks or what it is, but you see a lot of guys literally throw them the ball so they take advantage of that.” — Bo Nix
Prediction: Oregon 42, Liberty 14
