The University of Oregon (7-5) will return to the Las Vegas Bowl for the first time in more than a decade when the Pac-12 Conference representative takes on Mountain West champion and 25th-ranked Boise State (10-3) in the 26th edition of the Las Vegas Bowl. The game will be played Saturday, Dec. 16, at 12:30 p.m. PT, and will air on ABC.
The Broncos will play in the Las Vegas Bowl for the first time since winning three straight appearances from 2010-12. The Ducks, who will serve as the home team, have split their two previous trips, downing Air Force in 1997 and falling to BYU in 2006.
Boise State stands 25th in the final College Football Playoff rankings, along with both the AP and coaches’ polls. This marks the 11th time in the last dozen years that at least one of the Las Vegas Bowl teams brings in a top 25 ranking.
“What a matchup we have for our city this year with two of the top national brands in college football,” Saccenti said. “It’s great to welcome 10-win Boise State back for the first time in a while after a hugely successful three-year run here. We are also thrilled to host Oregon for the first time in 11 years. We’re expecting a real battle between two high-scoring programs and look forward to hosting the Broncos and Ducks and their wonderful fans in Fabulous Las Vegas.”
The Las Vegas Bowl will mark just the third meeting between these two western powers. Boise State won both previous games, 37-32 in Eugene in 2008 and 19-8 in Boise to open the 2009 season, which ended with a Fiesta Bowl victory by the Broncos.
The Ducks feature three players from the Las Vegas area: offensive linemen Tyrell Crosby (Green Valley High School) and Sam Poutasi (Desert Pines High School) and defensive lineman Elijah George (Arbor View High School). Two current Broncos graduated from Southern Nevada high schools – offensive lineman John Molchon (Faith Lutheran High School) and defensive end Derriyon Shaw (Legacy High School).
Both teams will arrive Tuesday, Dec. 12, to enjoy a week full of activities. Tickets for Las Vegas Bowl XXVI range in price from $45-$120 (plus fees and LET), depending on location. Visit www.lvbowl.com for more information.
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