BOWL SEASON // 2023
Week 15
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER // 2023
QUOTE OF THE WEEK “We’re going to have to work really hard for this one. We know Liberty’s a really good team and they’ve had a great season. So, I just want to go out there and have a chance to win another game and go play again and have one last shot at college football.” –Oregon quarterback Bo Nix said of his decision to play in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl against Liberty
2 0 2 4 V r b o F I E S TA B O W L GAME PREVIEW
#23 LIBERTY VS. #8 OREGON 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 first New Year’s Six bowl berth in school history, but also in Conference USA history. 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.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER // 2023
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. Tickets to this historic matchup are available by visiting fiestabowl.org/tickets or calling 480.350.0911.
Week 15
CLUB ‘71 AND FAN FEST It wouldn’t be college football without a proper tailgate with loads of music, food and fun! Join in on the Fiesta with one of our two pregame parties to help us kickoff the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl: Club ‘71 and Fan Fest. Both pregame parties will run from 7:3010 a.m. allowing fans time to enjoy the festivities before entering State Farm Stadium. The Fan Fest Pregame Party at State Farm Stadium is a free, non-ticketed party open to fans of all ages. There will be plenty of food and beverage options for purchase as well as inflatable and traditional tailgate games spread across access points 6-11. Click here to learn more about Fan Fest. Club ‘71 is a premium pregame party unlike any other tailgate with unique activations and experiences, photo opportunities, food and drinks. Club ‘71 is located at Desert Diamond Arena, a short trip north of State Farm Stadium. Tickets include 6 cocktails, complimentary water & soft drinks, delicious food and a fun party atmosphere. For more information on Club ‘71 and how to purchase tickets, click here.
NEW YEAR’S SIX GAMES #4 ALABAMA VS. #1 MICHIGAN 1.1.24 // 3 PM // ESPN
#3 TEXAS VS. #2 WASHINGTON 1.1.24 // 6:45 PM // ESPN
#23 LIBERTY VS. #8 OREGON 1.1.24 // 11 AM // ESPN
#11 OLE MISS VS. #10 PENN STATE 12.30.23 // 10 AM // ESPN
FINAL CFP RANKINGS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Michigan Washington Texas Alabama Florida State
6. Georgia 7. Ohio State 8. Oregon 9. Missouri 10. Penn State
For the full CFP Rankings, click here.
#6 GEORGIA VS. #5 FLORIDA 12.30.23 // 2 PM // ESPN
#9 MISSOURI VS. #7 OHIO STATE 12.29.23 // 6 PM // ESPN
Week 15
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER // 2023
2 0 2 3 G U A R A N T E E D R AT E B O W L GAME PREVIEW
KANSAS VS. UNLV The 2023 Guaranteed Rate Bowl will feature the second-ever meeting between Kansas and UNLV on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, at Chase Field in downtown Phoenix. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. MST and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN and its digital platforms. Kansas earned its second-straight bowl bid and second all-time appearance at Guaranteed Rate Bowl, with the first coming in 2008 – a 42-21 win over Minnesota. Kansas is meeting a UNLV team that’s making its fifth bowl game in program history and making its debut at the Guaranteed Rate Bowl. The Rebels are 3-1 all-time in bowl games, while the Jayhawks sit at 6-7.
historic season, finishing the regular season with at least eight wins for the 11th time in program history and garnering their first-ever College Football Playoff ranking in week 10 at No. 21. UNLV (9-4) qualified for its fifth bowl game in program history, and first since 2014, with a 25-23 victory over Colorado State in Week 8. Quarterback Jayden Maiava leads the Rebels’ offense with 2,794 yards and 14 touchdowns – fourth in the Mountain West. In his rookie season, Maiava fashioned a 7-2 record as a starter and earned Mountain West Freshman of the Year. This year’s Guaranteed Rate Bowl will be the 34th in the game’s history, which has hosted players like Drew Bledsoe, Aaron Rodgers and Larry Fitzgerald along with millions of fans. Tickets are available by visiting guaranteedratebowl.com or calling 480.350.0911.
Kansas (8-4) clinched bowl eligibility following a 38-33 upset over No. 6 Oklahoma in Week 9 – its first win over a top 10 team since 2008. Led by third-year Head Coach Lance Leipold, the Jayhawks had another
DOWNLOAD THE FIESTA BOWL APP! Be sure to download the Fiesta Bowl app for easy access to all things gameday! Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl fans will be able to buy and manage tickets, parking and receive gameday information and updates. The app also features news, social media, organizational information, shopping and more. Available now on the App Store and Google Play!
App Store
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER // 2023
Google Play
Week 15
50/50 RAFFLE The 2023 50/50 Raffle will consist of a progressive jackpot with tickets available for purchase starting on December 16, 2023 at 8:00 a.m. MST until the end of the third quarter of the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl game on Monday, January 1, 2024. The number of the raffle ticket will be announced in-game at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and listed on fiestabowl.org/5050. Fifty percent of the jackpot will benefit the Empowering Diversity Scholarship presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and Fiesta Bowl. The scholarship fund was created to support Arizona minority residents with their educational goals. In 2023, 25 recipients were awarded a scholarship to pursue general education development (GED) track or their college degree. Learn more here. Raffle tickets can be purchased in person at the Guaranteed Rate Bowl game on December 26, 2023, at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl game on January 1, 2024, or online. For more information, click here.
THE PARADE IS ON ITS WAY! Don’t miss the highly anticipated return of the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe, which will take its annual two-mile march down Central Avenue on Saturday, December 16 at 10:00 a.m. MST. Giant balloons, colorful community floats, local performers and much more will take over Downtown Phoenix during Arizona’s highestattended single-day event. The march will be led by Grand Marshals Jake Plummer and Richard Jefferson, with the help of special guests Diana Flores and the AIA football state champion teams and their spirit squads in honor of the theme “Spirit of Competition.” The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe is free to all! Fans looking to elevate their experience can purchase premium and reserved seats for $30. If you can’t attend the big event, you can watch it live on Arizona’s Family 3TV online and through the AZFamily app.
Week 15
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER // 2023
JA NUA RY 1, 2024
D E C EM B E R 26, 2023
F I E S TA B O W L . O R G /FIESTABOWL
@FIESTA_BOWL
COLLEGE FOOTBALL INSIDER // 2023
GUARANTEEDRATEBOWL
@RATEBOWL
Week 15