FishDuck Article Administrator No. 1 Share Posted December 26, 2023 Oregon is set to play Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl on January 1st. For many Oregon fans, this game isn’t all that interesting or exciting for a couple of reasons. One, it’s not a playoff game and it feels like a consolation prize for a season that could have been something really special. Two, it’s against No. 20 Liberty, a ... The Fiesta Bowl is a Must-Win Game for Lanning | FishDuck FISHDUCK.COM Oregon is set to play Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl on January 1st. For many Oregon fans, this game isn’t all that interesting or exciting for a couple... 1 3 1 Two Sites: FishDuck and the Our Beloved Ducks forum, The only "Forum with Decorum!" And All-Volunteer? What a wonderful community of Duck fans! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudslide No. 2 Share Posted December 26, 2023 (edited) David, thanks for the fine article. But I thought Franklin had opted out, too. Do you have information on a change of mind by him? Edited December 26, 2023 by Mudslide 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Duck No. 3 Share Posted December 26, 2023 It doesn't look like Troy has made an announcement publicly either way. Btw, after the initial shock of us getting the shaft of having to play Liberty, there was a lot of talk about us Oregon fans supporting the program. So, I'm still wondering who around here is going to show that support by going to the Fiesta Bowl? Or if are we going to be sitting in a half empty Glendale stadium. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haywarduck Moderator No. 4 Share Posted December 26, 2023 Great stuff, and I love your statement about feeder schools losing stars, and power programs really only losing back-ups wanting more playing time to the portal. It is statements like these where you really give clarity to a new paradigm. I would only add the power programs are also losing those who are choosing to go into the draft, but fortunately Oregon has some playing and is able to reload. This paradigm might be a critical element to this game. Playing feeder schools in bowl games may be easier in this transfer portal times. I will add this game is a dangerous game as Liberty has everything to gain and little to lose. Oregon won't gain much from a win, but will look silly with a loss. This is a big test for Dan Lanning, going against elite coaching and needing to show he can win big games, and bowl games are always big. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Hilarius Moderator No. 5 Share Posted December 26, 2023 We’re still mocking U$C for losing to Tulane last year. It would be FAR worse to lose to Liberty. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Duck No. 6 Share Posted December 26, 2023 That was won of my favorite college football games of ALL TIME. In the words of the poet, "I never said I was noble." 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyToBeADuck No. 7 Share Posted December 26, 2023 Great points in the article and in the posts. Until this article I had not given any thought to the Fiesta Bowl. Never once did I think DL and staff wouldnt have the team ready ...... As long as the starters treat this as a must win and not a swan song, Pro Bowl, or Sun Bowl game, then this should be a Duck victory. Liberty will be motivated, loose and hard hitting. However, the 15 to 20 future NFL players, scattered on the Duck roster should have this game handled in the 2nd quarter. Go Ducks......... 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OregonDucks No. 8 Share Posted December 26, 2023 The Fiesta Bowl is the classic trap game. This may be Liberty's biggest game in their program history and they have nothing to lose. I doubt that Oregon will be able to match Liberty's intensity but hopefully with Bo and the key players we have suiting up for the game, we'll be able to execute a clean game and talent will win in the end. 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PittDuck No. 9 Share Posted December 26, 2023 Nice article David, thanks! I agree with pretty much everything but the title! For me, ‘must win’ insinuates he get fired for a loss, and I don’t see that happening. OBD should win this handily, and give a lot of the future Ducks some meaningful snaps. If, for some obscure reason, the football gods smile on our worthy opponent, and frown on OBD, all will not be lost, we will still have had extra practice time, and next years version of OBD will have had meaningful snaps. Either way, DL and co will be back next year to lead the Ducks to multiple victories in the BIG! Go Ducks! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 10 Share Posted December 26, 2023 Damn right David. This is a New Year's Day Six Bowl....a Fiesta Bowl, for crying out loud. It does not matter who the opponent is--we MUST win it! Liberty was required to be part of a NYD-6 bowl, and we got the draw. That is the way it works sometimes. But we must win this! I am going to have an analysis of Liberty up later this week.... (Saturday) 1 4 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyToBeADuck No. 11 Share Posted December 26, 2023 For this old Duck fan I cannot really get focused on this game. The Fiesta Bowl is the Ducks reward for losing to the putrid, disgusting huskies...twice by a mere 6 total points. OBD's have come along way since that bought and paid for Independence Bowl. Now our consolation prize is a NY6 Bowl Game. That's amazing...... For me the move to the BIG with the likes of UM, tOSU, PSU, Iowa and Nebraska along with usc, ucla and the hated huskies has put my focus on 2024. And the Transfer Portal. The 2024 squad will be loaded with future NFL talent. However, key experienced mercenaries are needed to complete the roster. The road to the expanded CFP rolls thru some of the bluebloods of college football. Its exciting and has me consumed The difference between a 11-2 season (with a CFP invite) and a 9-4 season may very well be determined by those TP players. I know that this process may not be finalized until after Spring ball. I can be patient, just not focused on the awesome upcoming game GO DUCKS! 100% support from this happy Duck fan. . . 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 12 Share Posted December 26, 2023 On 12/26/2023 at 7:29 AM, Mudslide said: David, thanks for the fine article. But I thought Franklin had opted out, too. Do you have information on a change of mind by him? I didn't see anything official about Franklin opting out or not. I know Popo opted out over the weekend. I didn't have a chance to edit the article to include that. There haven't been too many players who have publicly declared opting out. Announcing they are going to the draft doesn't mean they are opting out of the bowl game, but it could be implied that way. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marsh No. 13 Share Posted December 26, 2023 On 12/26/2023 at 10:33 AM, PittDuck said: Nice article David, thanks! I agree with pretty much everything but the title! For me, ‘must win’ insinuates he get fired for a loss, and I don’t see that happening. OBD should win this handily, and give a lot of the future Ducks some meaningful snaps. If, for some obscure reason, the football gods smile on our worthy opponent, and frown on OBD, all will not be lost, we will still have had extra practice time, and next years version of OBD will have had meaningful snaps. Either way, DL and co will be back next year to lead the Ducks to multiple victories in the BIG! Go Ducks! But the narrative about Lanning will change and fan tomorrow of any losses will also shift. Also... The title helps with the clicks and that is still the name of the game in the internet. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrJacksPlaidPants Moderator No. 14 Share Posted December 26, 2023 The Ducks have only lost to one G5 team in the last 15 years. Unfortunately, they’ve lost to that team 3 times. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 15 Share Posted December 26, 2023 Thank you, David. This game is, by far, the biggest game in Liberty's history. CUSA is not just G5, it is on the lowest rung of the G5. Below even the MAC. AAC champ 10-2 SMU played a far harder schedule than Liberty and its fans were not happy that 13-0 Liberty was ranked No. 23 and ahead of The Ponies. SMU fans on the way to the ACC would have brought more fans from Dallas to Glendale than will be coming from Lynchburg, VA. The Fiesta got the G5 end of the stick in the last season of the 4-Team Invitational. I find it interesting that the PO CT used SOS to justify leaving 13-0 FSU out of the field and paid zero attention to SOS when it came time to determine the NY6 G5 representative. The Fiesta Bowl will host a 2nd round PO game in 2024 which game will be sold out and which will be a game of interest. The bowl opt-outs for Liberty are for the most part on the D-side of the ball where Liberty was average in 2023. Both starting safeties are in the portal with one transferring to CU and the other to San Jose State. On O, all hands appear to be on deck for HC Jamey Chadwell who has put up a perfect season after coming to Liberty from Coastal Carolina. Chadwell has a terrific dual-threat QB in Kadon Slaughter who transferred to Liberty after being dismissed from Tennessee following a second arrest. In 2023, the QB from Cedar Hill, TX, threw for 2750 yds, 31 TDs, 5 Ints, QBR of 85.8. Slaughter ran 153 times for 1064 yards, a 7-yard average per carry, and 12 TDs. He is no joke. Slaughter has help from RB Quinton Cooley. In 2022 in his 3rd season at Wake Forest, Cooley put up 246 yards. In 2023 after transferring in, Cooley put up 1322 rush yards on 213 attempts (6.2 average) and 16 TDs at Liberty. In the CUSA title game vs. New Mexico State, Liberty won 49-35, Slater went 20-25 319 yards. NMSU shortly before the champ game. defeated Auburn in Alabama but the same NMSU team was blown out by Fresno State in its 2023 bowl game. Chadwell's offense is referred to as the 'Pseudo Option.' A triple option with a verticle passing game and I think Liberty will score on a Ducks' D missing several 2023 starters. The Liberty O in 2023 led the nation in rushing. Slater and Coolley were first-team CUSA and Chadwell was CUSA's co-COY. Will the Liberty D be able to shut down the Bo O? Bucky Irving is suiting up. Troy Franklin is not suiting up. I think we'll see lots of fireworks on O with the most fired-up Flames having a puncher's chance to overcome the +17 spread, Go Ducks! Extinguish the Flames! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 16 Share Posted December 26, 2023 On 12/26/2023 at 2:04 PM, David Marsh said: I didn't see anything official about Franklin opting out or not. I know Popo opted out over the weekend. I didn't have a chance to edit the article to include that. There haven't been too many players who have publicly declared opting out. Announcing they are going to the draft doesn't mean they are opting out of the bowl game, but it could be implied that way. Franklin has opted-out. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 17 Share Posted December 26, 2023 On 12/26/2023 at 2:36 PM, DrJacksPlaidPants said: The Ducks have only lost to one G5 team in the last 15 years. Unfortunately, they’ve lost to that team 3 times. This will be rectified on 7/7/24 in Autzen. (Unless Rob gets the Blues and decides to move the game to Boise.) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JabbaNoBargain No. 18 Share Posted December 26, 2023 (edited) Bowl games mean almost nothing anymore. The bowl standings thing is hilarious now. Look at our idiot bucktoothed cousins matchup. They’ll be trotting out a third string QB, backup HB, almost entirely new o-line, etc. ND has had at least a dozen transfers or declares…yet chalk it up in the conference bowl standings. As to us, it would be a monumental egg in face if we lost, but honestly, I forgot about USC losing to Tulane until this thread. I probably remembered it for a hot minute at the beginning of the season, but embarrassment aside, it had zero impact on anything. Bowl games no longer have any correlation to what your regular season team was, it’s merely an exhibition between two organizations fielding unique bowl teams. Edited December 26, 2023 by JabbaNoBargain 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles Fischer Administrator No. 19 Share Posted December 26, 2023 Getting 12 wins at Oregon has not happened very often, so let's get it done! 1 4 Mr. FishDuck Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Ducky No. 20 Share Posted December 26, 2023 Think I would rather watch high school playoff games than watch 85% of the collegiate bowl games. That being said I will be watching the Ducks pummel Liberty. I look at them like I did colorado. Is it a must win for DL as far as recruiting and respect is concerned? Of course it is. Will there be a large television audience? I doubt it. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicroBurst61 No. 21 Share Posted December 26, 2023 This is an important game for Dan Lanning but by no means career defining. It is his second year as a head coach and am sure he needs to learn how to make, non playoff, games relevant in this program. Opt outs are to forever be a part of college bowl season especially with pro capable players. It is a Great time for non starter/rotation players to get significant, high level, live game, playing time. But at the penalty of timing and smooth execution. This is going to be a real test of the teams philosophy of "each week our opponent is Oregon". Liberty beating a top tier team, in a New Years Six bowl, national spotlight, to cap off the undefeated season, are all strong motivators for that team. With Oregons deeper recruiting, weekly level of competition, the standard that the program is trying to establish, this should be a entertaining, mildly competitive game that I expect Oregon to lockdown and pull away late in the third, going into the fourth quarter, regardless of Liberty's motivations. Win or (not saying!) Not Winning, I Believe that Lanning and company will learn and adapt to what went right or what went wrong. Future years are looking promising for Playoffs so the team motivations also will be different and there will be learning curves with that also. Regardless I am enjoying the continued growth and focus of this program and look forward to the game the New Years. GO DUCKS! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desert Duck No. 22 Share Posted December 26, 2023 On 12/26/2023 at 1:50 PM, Just Ducky said: Will there be a large television audience? I doubt it. . Heck -- I'm now kind wondering if any other Duck fans besides us will even be going to the Fiesta Bowl. I haven't seen anyone else from forum say that they're going. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 23 Share Posted December 26, 2023 On 12/26/2023 at 4:27 PM, Desert Duck said: Heck -- I'm now kind wondering if any other Duck fans besides us will even be going to the Fiesta Bowl. I haven't seen anyone else from forum say that they're going. The Fiesta Bowl will be going against No.17 Iowa vs. No. 21 Tennessee on ABC and will draw a lot of B1G and SEC fans. Thank you Mickey Mouse. And thank you PO Committee for having the wrong G5 team in the PO. SOS matters when you are elbowing FSU out but not when you comapare the CUSA champ with AAC champ SMU. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lrod No. 24 Share Posted December 27, 2023 On 12/26/2023 at 1:58 PM, Charles Fischer said: Damn right David. This is a New Year's Day Six Bowl....a Fiesta Bowl, for crying out loud. It does not matter who the opponent is--we MUST win it! Liberty was required to be part of a NYD-6 bowl, and we got the draw. That is the way it works sometimes. But we must win this! I am going to have an analysis of Liberty up later this week.... (Saturday) I agree Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 25 Share Posted December 27, 2023 BOWL UPDATE FOR THE 'NEW' B1G. 3-0 - UCLA over Boise/ NW over Utah/ Minnesota over BGSU. Ws vs. MW, B12, and MAC. The undefeated bowl streak could end tonigth when SC tees it up against No. 15 Louisville in San Diego, 5 PM Pacific on FOX. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 26 Share Posted December 27, 2023 Bruce Feldman's New Year's Six bowl picks against the spread THEATHLETIC.COM It's time to pick the winners of the national semifinals in the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl. Michigan or Bama? Texas or Washington? Bruce likes the Ducks! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Joseph Moderator No. 27 Share Posted December 28, 2023 On 12/27/2023 at 2:37 PM, Jon Joseph said: Bruce Feldman's New Year's Six bowl picks against the spread THEATHLETIC.COM It's time to pick the winners of the national semifinals in the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl. Michigan or Bama? Texas or Washington? Bruce likes the Ducks! And he also likes an all B1G final which I want to see. Then, if you so understandably choose, root for Michigan. Me, I want a week plus of ESPN talking head talking up the B1G. And I want to close in on the SEC hegemony. I'm hoping that 1/1/24 will be a B1G Daily Double. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
