SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Liberty’s undefeated season will take the Flames to the Fiesta Bowl to face Oregon.
Liberty (13-0) will play in a bowl game for the fifth straight season, but first under coach Jamey Chadwell. The Flames moved up to No. 18 in the AP Top 25 on Sunday and were No. 23 in the College Football Playoff rankings following their first conference title at the FBS level.
Liberty was the highest-ranked Group of Five conference champion after beating New Mexico State 49-35 in the Conference USA championship game.
The Flames are the first CUSA champion to clinch a New Year’s Six bid in the College Football Playoff era after earning a spot in the Jan. 1 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
Liberty faces a huge test against the Ducks after playing one of the nation’s weakest schedules.
No. 8 Oregon (11-2) had a stellar season as quarterback Bo Nix put himself in the Heisman Trophy conversation, but couldn’t get past Washington.
The second-ranked Huskies beat the Ducks during the regular season and ended their College Football Playoff hopes with a 34-31 win in the Pac-12 championship on Friday night in Las Vegas.
Oregon was No. 8 in the final CFP rankings in its final Pac-12 season before leaving for the Big Ten next year.
NIX’S STATUS
Nix has been stellar since transferring from Auburn and is one of the frontrunners to win the Heisman this year.
Whether he plays in the Fiesta Bowl is up in the air.
Dejected after the Ducks’ loss in the Pac-12 title game, Nix was noncommittal on whether he would play in a bowl game or skip it to prepare for the NFL draft.
Nix threw for 4,145 yards this year to become the second Oregon quarterback to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a season, joining Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, who threw for 4,454 yards in 2014.
Nix leads the country in passing touchdowns (40) and completion percentage (77.2), and is second in passing yards per game (318.8) and passing efficiency (186.2).
RUNNING FLAMES
Liberty steamrolled its way through an undefeated season with the nation’s top rushing attack.
The Flames averaged 302.9 yards rushing per game, finishing more than 27 yards ahead of No. 2 Air Force.
Quinton Cooley led the way, finishing eighth nationally with 1,322 while scoring 16 touchdowns, tied for sixth nationally.
Dual-threat quarterback Kaidon Salter threw for 2,750 yards and 31 touchdowns, adding 1,064 yards and 12 more scores on the ground.
BY THE NUMBERS
Liberty led the nation in interceptions with 21. Brylan Green had five, tying for fifth nationally. … Oregon was 11th nationally in scoring defense, allowing 17.3 points per game. The Ducks also were 11th in rushing defense, giving up 97.5 yards per game. … CJ Daniels was Salter’s top target, leading the Flames with 47 catches for 988 yards and 10 touchdowns. He averages 21 yards per catch. … Oregon’s Troy Franklin was sixth nationally with 1,383 yards and 14 TDs on 81 catches. … Liberty won three of its past four bowl games, but lost 21-19 to Toledo in last year’s Boca Raton Bowl. … Oregon is playing in its 19th straight bowl game and has won four of its last New Year’s Six bowls. The Ducks are playing in the Fiesta Bowl for the fourth time, with two wins and a loss to Iowa State in the 2021 game.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll
