3 keys to victory for Oregon Ducks football vs. Liberty Flames in the Fiesta Bowl
Looking to refocus after a devastating loss in the Pac-12 championship game, the No. 8 Oregon football team will aim for its sixth-ever 12-win season and to end its season on a winning note against No. 23 Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Day at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The Flames (13-0, 8-0 CUSA) are one of just four teams in FBS to finish the regular season unbeaten, along with No. 1 Michigan, No. 2 Washington and No. 5 Florida State, though against one of the weakest schedules in the America. Liberty has not played a Power Five team.
Still, the Ducks are not overlooking an undefeated opponent.
“That’s the good thing about bowl season is you get an opportunity to go out there and play one more game,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “And more importantly, we want to send our seniors off in the right way. (They) put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this game, and we want the opportunity for them to get to celebrate that one last time together on the football field.”
Here are three keys for an Oregon win as the Ducks take on the Flames at 10 a.m. on New Year's Day at State Farm Stadium.
Oregon must control the trenches against Liberty
If the Ducks want to live up to the large spread against the Flames, they’ll have to do a much better job controlling the line of scrimmage than they did against Washington in the Pac-12 title game in Las Vegas.
Coming into the title game with one of the top rushing offenses and defenses in the country, Oregon’s Bucky Irving had just 20 yards rushing, and the Ducks defense gave up over 150 yards on the ground in a tight loss.
The Flames, at least statistically, are the best running team in America, averaging over 300 yards on the ground per game to lead FBS.
“I think every opponent is its own entity,” Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi said. “We attack it. So, this opponent is certainly an original entity for us when it comes to defending a zoned option outfit. So, they have a unique mix of having some large individuals, just like the championship game we played where some guys can create movement up front. And they also have the element of an elite perimeter attack with the option scheme.”
Liberty tailback Quinton Cooley ranks 13th in the country in rushing yards with 1,322 and has 10 rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Kaidon Salter is one of just two FBS quarterbacks with over 1,000 yards rushing with 1,064 and has 12 touchdowns on the ground.
That pair is one of the most dangerous backfields in college football.
But outside its last game out, Oregon has posted a historically good run defense. The Ducks are 11th in rushing yards allowed per game at 97.54. With Bo Nix and Irving set to play in one final game as Ducks, Oregon’s backfield isn’t too shabby either.
“Credit to our players as far as where we’ve grown in overall total defense, scoring defense, and rushing defense, of all 11 guys understanding a plan of attack, how to build a wall, fundamentals and technique to get this, and the rushing coverage, working together to accomplish that goal of rising to be more of a dominant run defense,” Lupoi said.
Get younger Ducks football players adjusted quickly
Though a good chunk of Oregon’s roster will compete in the Fiesta Bowl, the Ducks will also deal with their fair share of opt outs, including starter center Jackson Powers-Johnson and star receiver Troy Franklin.
Led by the country’s most experienced quarterback in Nix, and with Irving to take the lion’s share of carries at tailback, new players will get the chance to compete in new roles in Oregon’s last game.
One of those players could be touted freshman receiver Jurrion Dickey, who has played sparingly throughout the year. Another will be true frosh Iapani Laloulu, who has rotated in at guard and backed up Powers-Johnson at center throughout the season.
“I think the great thing about bowl games ... is there is going to be something that shows up in this game that we haven’t really seen yet this season,” Lanning said. “That’s consistent with bowl games throughout the year. Last year, we had some guys that showed up big for us in the Holiday Bowl. I know there will be some guys that haven’t shown and will show up in this Fiesta Bowl. It will be fun to see that happen.”
Those two will play by necessity come New Year’s Day, but others will also step up into new roles for the bowl game, like defensive backs Cole Martin and Rodrick Pleasant.
Ignore the noise about Fiesta Bowl spread
Both teams have seen the spread. Both teams have read the storylines.
It’s no secret Oregon had grander plans than a date with a Conference USA team in the Fiesta Bowl. With a shot at the playoffs dashed in early December, how will the Ducks refocus to avoid an upset at the hands of a hungry Flames team?
On the other end, the Flames have heard they haven’t played anyone. They’re facing a historic spread that has hovered over two touchdowns for weeks. They’re playing the most experienced quarterback in college football history and a Heisman trophy finalist.
Come Monday, none of that will matter.
“We are right where we are supposed to be,” Lupoi said. “Very thankful to be here. We’ve had an awesome overall successful season and now it’s just an opportunity to cap it off, to have the opportunity to win 12 games and possible finish in the top five. There’s a lot of things that we have our eyes set on and just trying to approach every day for that possibility going into our preparation, our energy, our attention to detail every day.”
In an age of diminished bowl game meaning outside the College Football Playoff, how will Oregon respond to the challenge in the Fiesta Bowl?
Since 2014, four Group of Five teams have won over their Power Five counterparts in New Year’s Six bowl games, including last season when Tulane defeated USC.
Though Oregon certainly is facing an outmatched opponent on paper, Monday’s game will be all about proving it.
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, volleyball, women’s basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com and you can follow him on Twitter @AlecDietz.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Oregon football vs. Liberty: Ducks keys for a Fiesta Bowl win
