By Marie Reader

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Oregon has accepted an invitation to play in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Monday, Jan. 1, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. The No. 8 Ducks (11-2) will take on No. 23 Liberty (13-0) at 10 a.m. PT on ESPN.

Oregon will make its 37th all-time appearance in a bowl game, 14th in a New Year’s Six bowl game, and fourth in the Fiesta Bowl. The Ducks are 2-1 all-time in the Fiesta Bowl, with wins over Colorado (Jan. 1, 2002) and Kansas State (Jan. 3, 2013) and a loss to Iowa State (Jan. 2, 2021).

This will be the first-ever meeting between Oregon and Liberty.

GAME NOTES

Liberty has a dangerous quarterback of its own, in Kaidon Salter. The sophomore has thrown for 2,750 yards and run for another 1,064, with 43 total touchdowns.

The Flames lead the nation in rushing at 302.9 yards per game. Oregon, meanwhile, has a top-10 rush defense in the country, allowing 97.54 yards per game. With a stout performance Monday, the Ducks could allow under 100 rushing yards per game in a season for the first time in program history.

The Ducks are looking to win 12 games in a season for the sixth time ever, all since 2010, and the first time since 2019. The handful of veterans who did opt out created potential opportunities for young players to step up, possibly including receiver Jurrion Dickey, defensive lineman A’Mauri Washington and others.

Ducks QB Bo Nix will be playing against Liberty. The decision by Nix to participate keeps him in the running to set some NCAA and UO team records Monday.

Nix enters the game with a completion rate of 77.24 percent, just off the NCAA single-season record of 77.36 percent by Mac Jones of Alabama in 2020. Nix has 40 touchdown passes, two shy of the UO record set by Marcus Mariota in 2014, and Nix needs 310 passing yards to break the UO record of 4,454 also set by Mariota in 2014.

COURTESY OREGON ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS