Sometimes the most important part of playing in a New Year’s Day bowl game isn’t the game itself, but the extra four weeks of practice and development for the younger players.
Not this year.
In a year where just playing the game is a small miracle, both Oregon and Iowa State are in full preparations for the game itself instead of going out on the road to recruit or partake in the usual bowl game fanfare of rallies and enjoying the area’s best restaurants.
In other words, enjoying the entire bowl game experience!
It’s football and nothing but football.
According to Iowa State coach Matt Campbell, the absence of the faces will definitely be felt.
“You can really feel our fan base, and we have such a tremendous fan base that has supported us through a lot of really lean years and has really come on strong as we have continued to grow our program over the last
couple of years,” he said.
“I think a lot of the feedback from our alumni and a lot of feedback from our general fan base, I think there is a really good pride around this year’s football team and the growth that this program has been able to make.”
Both teams won’t even travel to Phoenix until 48 hours before kickoff.
It’s more like a regular road game for the Ducks and Cyclones instead of a NY6 bowl experience.
It was also a quick turnaround.
That four-week window of bowl preparation teams have always had was thrown out that same window this time around. The Ducks had 15 days in between games when Jan. 2 rolls around and their Big XII counterparts had exactly two weeks to prepare for the Pac-12 champs.
When the Cyclones took the field last, Dec. 19, they were down 24-7 to Oklahoma and rallied towards the end before falling to the Sooners 27-21 in the conference championship game.
A day before that, Oregon played its best game overall, especially on the defensive side, to upset USC 31-24.
Once the early recruit signing day was in the books, the Cyclones have been all Ducks, all the time. For an offensive coordinator like ISU’s Tom Manning, the more they watch the Ducks on tape, the better.
“They (Oregon) have the chance to be very multiple and they could create pressure in a lot of different ways. And I think they’re playing really good football. So certainly for us, you go back and played phenomenal defense last year,” he said.
“I think we have our work cut out for us. They do a great job defensively and have a great scheme. But they also have very good football players, really across the board. And there’s certainly not a weak link to their defense. So for us, we certainly have our work cut out for us.”
MEDIA DAY; OREGON CB DEDE LENOIR TALKS FIESTA BOWL
For Oregon, playing in the Fiesta is just another opportunity to play on the big stage. And in 2020, playing on any stage is not to be taken for granted.
“I think we’ve turned our focus into what a blessing the opportunity this season has granted us, really,” Oregon coach Mario Cristobal said.
“You hear so much. And all you hear about 2020 is how it’s been so rough and the challenges. We all understand that. But we also, I think, have got to focus on the fact that we have been blessed with the opportunity and we have a chance to be a shining light for a lot of people that love the game of college football and to do it in a healthy manner.
“And to get the opportunity to play on a national stage, on as big of a game as you could imagine in the FiestaBowl, that’s all we see it as. The focus is completely on the fact that it is a blessing and an opportunity and our guys are chomping at the bit. They can’t wait to get there.”
PLAYSTATION FIESTA BOWL; WHEN & WHERE
Oregon and No. 10 Iowa State will meet Saturday January 2nd in Glendale, Arizona at State Farm Arena.
Kickoff is scheduled for 2:00 pm local time – 1:00 pm pacific time. The game will be televised on ESPN.