The 53rd Annual Vrbo Fiesta Bowl will feature No. 23 Liberty and No. 8 Oregon for the first time ever on Monday, January 1, 2024 at State Farm Stadium. The historic matchup will kick off in Glendale at 11 a.m. MST and be broadcast live on ESPN and its digital platforms.
Oregon makes its fourth all-time Fiesta Bowl appearance, and second in four seasons. The Ducks posted victories in 2002 and 2013 before falling to Iowa State, 34-17, in 2021. Meanwhile, Liberty earned not only its first New Year’s Six bowl berth in school history, but also in Conference USA history.
Prior to kickoff, fans can enjoy the Fan Fest Pregame Party, a free tailgate for fans of all ages at State Farm Stadium, beginning at 7:30 a.m.
“One of my favorite aspects of Bowl Season is hosting matchups that college football fans don’t see on a regular basis. This year’s Vrbo Fiesta Bowl will bring a blue chip program in Oregon against one of four undefeated teams in Liberty,” said Fiesta Bowl Executive Director and CEO Erik Moses. “As we look to build on the excitement of last season’s instant classic and prepare for next year’s first-ever College Football Playoff Quarterfinal, I’m sure this year’s Vrbo Fiesta Bowl will live up to the edge-of-your-seat brand of postseason football we have come to expect here in the Valley of the Sun!”
Oregon is appearing in its 19th consecutive bowl game and owns a 16-20 all-time bowl record, having won four of its last five New Year’s Six appearances. Liberty, in its sixth season as an FBS member, is making its fifth consecutive bowl game, having won three of its first four.
Led by Heisman Trophy contender Bo Nix, Oregon’s offense has hummed all season. The Ducks (11-2), who fell to Washington, 34-31, in the Pac-12 Championship, rank second nationally in passing offense (342.8), total offense (526.6) and scoring (44.2) all while turning the ball over just seven times, placing them third in the country.
Nix – a finalist for the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year and Davey O’Brien Award – leads the country in passing touchdowns (40) and completion percentage (77.2) in addition to ranking second in passing yards per game (318.8) and passing efficiency (186.2). His main target is Troy Franklin, who himself ranks in the top six in receiving yards (1,383), receiving yards per game (106.4) and receiving touchdowns (14).
As explosive as the Ducks’ offense has been, the defense should not be overlooked. Oregon is one of three teams to allow 10 or fewer points in at least six games this season, and overall rank 11th nationally in scoring defense (17.3). Against the run, the Ducks allow only 97.5 rushing yards per game, also good for 11th. Evan Williams paces Oregon with 79 tackles, while Brandon Dorlus leads the team with 5.0 sacks and eight pass breakups from the defensive line.
Second-year Head Coach Dan Lanning is just the third coach in program history to lead the Ducks to consecutive 10-win seasons in his first two years, with a 21-5 record at Oregon.
Liberty won its first FBS conference championship, defeating New Mexico State, 49-35, in the Conference USA title game. The Flames (13-0) are one of four remaining undefeated FBS teams, along with No. 1 Michigan, No. 2 Washington and No. 5 Florida State. Behind the nation’s leading rushing offense (302.9), Liberty, led by first-year Head Coach Jamey Chadwell, ran for 393 yards in the Conference USA Championship.
Quinton Cooley is one of the top running backs in the country, ranking sixth with 16 rushing scores, seventh in yards per carry (6.95) and ninth with 1,322 yards. Kaidon Salter, the Conference USA Championship MVP, is a dual threat quarterback adding 1,064 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground in addition to throwing for 2,750 yards and 31 touchdowns. Through the air, Salter airs it out to CJ Daniels, who leads the team with 988 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 21.0 yards per reception.
Liberty’s offense is complemented by an opportunistic defense, which has totaled 21 interceptions – tops in the country. Brylan Green, whose five interceptions is good for a tie for fifth nationally, is one of seven Flames defenders with multiple picks. Tyren Dupree, Liberty’s leading tackler with 115, has six games with double-digit stops. Dupree’s 8.0 tackles for loss only trails CJ Bazile Jr.’s 9.5.
Chadwell arrived at Liberty after four seasons at Coastal Carolina, where he accumulated a 39-22 mark. Overall at five different schools, Chadwell owns a 112-57 head coaching record.
“The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl is known for classic matchups and bowl experiences that create lifetime memories. We are thrilled to welcome these top schools, student-athletes, coaches, families and fans to Arizona to extend our world-class Fiesta Bowl hospitality,” said Randal Norton, Chairman of the Fiesta Bowl Board of Directors. “Our dedicated Board of Directors, Yellow Jacket Committee, Ambassadors and staff have served the community for 53 years and we are proud to bring this exciting Oregon-Liberty contest to Arizona.”
Now in its 53rd year, the Fiesta Bowl has consistently provided some of the most memorable moments in college football history. Over the course of more than a half century, the Fiesta Bowl has hosted 12 Heisman Trophy winners, millions of fans and seven National Championship games.
To get a jump start on Bowl Season, fans can get into the spirit at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe on Saturday, December 16. The Parade, headlined by Grand Marshals Jake Plummer and Richard Jefferson, starts at 10 a.m. MST in Central Phoenix and is Arizona’s highest-attended single-day event.
All tickets purchased for the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, along with the Guaranteed Rate Bowl to be held on Tuesday, December 26 in downtown Phoenix, support Fiesta Bowl Charities. Fiesta Bowl Charities has granted $25 million over the last eight years in charitable giving and provides impact throughout the state of Arizona through its three pillars of youth, sports and education.
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