Just two days after Oregon won the Pac-12 championship, head football coach Mario Cristobal was welcomed to the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.
Both Cristobal and Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell took part in the introductory media briefing via Zoom to be officially welcomed by the bowl for being selected.
“Certainly, a tremendous honor to be here to represent our conference in the Fiesta Bowl,” said Cristobal in his opening statement.
“Proud of our guys after a really hard-fought game on Friday night. The ability to go out and earn a Pac-12 conference title for the second consecutive year is something that we don’t take for granted. And certainly, with so much excitement building around the program and to be able to play in such a bowl game, this opportunity means the world to us.
“So our guys are extremely fired up. Preparations will begin tomorrow (Monday). We’re giving them the weekend off to get their legs back underneath them and rest up a little bit.”
Iowa State, who lost to Oklahoma in the Big XII title game on Saturday is a unique match-up for the Ducks and will certainly pose a significant challenge for Cristobal and his coaching staff.
“I think it’s really too hard for us to really sink too far into it, other than
I’ve got the utmost respect for Coach [Mario] Cristobal, what he’s about, how he leads a program,” said Campbell in his opening remarks.
“And then obviously, the tradition and history of Oregon football. When you say ‘Oregon football,’ I think everybody has an immediate respect factor for who they are and what they’re about.
“I think we’ll get a lot farther into it, obviously, as the week goes. But I think just the instantaneous credibility, both from the head coach standpoint and from a program standpoint, very impressed.”
The Cyclones ended up playing an 11-game season and split the two games with eventual champion Oklahoma. Iowa State, led by quarterback Brock Purdy, downed the Sooners 37-30 back on Oct. 3 in the third game of the regular season. On Saturday the Cyclones made it close but eventually lost 27-21 in the title rematch.
“Certainly very different than a lot of the stuff that we have faced,” said Cristobal when asked about facing the Cyclones.
“I’m kind of a film junky and spent a lot of time watching film, especially on Sundays even during the season when all the different films from across the country come on. So it’s very different. Very well-coached, very physical. Explosive players at the skill positions. Very powerful players in the trenches. Very physical players at the second level, at the linebacker position, guys that will hunt you down that have a nose for the football that are instinctive, that really understand their fit.
You always want to see how each side of the ball moves, how are they technically and fundamentally, and what type of toughness do they play with and everything. They hit on all checkmarks.”
Oregon and Iowa State is scheduled to kickoff Jan. 2 at 1 pm PST televised on ESPN.
PLAYSTATION FIESTA BOWL WELCOME TO MARIO CRISTOBAL