SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Kansas State and Oregon were in perfect position at the start of Nov. 17, Nos. 1 and 2 in the BCS standings, seemingly on a crash course toward the national championship game.
By day’s end, the 11-1 Wildcats had been run over by Baylor, the Ducks lost a heartbreaker to Stanford and both of their national title hopes were all but gone.
Disappointing? Certainly. Every team goes into the season hoping to play for a national championship and to have it snatched away so late in the season is unquestionably a letdown.
Unlike many teams in college football, Kansas State and Oregon ended up with a nice consolation prize: a trip to the Valley of the Sun to face each in the Fiesta Bowl.
A year ago, the Fiesta Bowl hit it big with Oklahoma State and Stanford, two high-profile programs that didn’t disappoint, putting on an offensive show won by the Cowboys 41-38 in overtime.
This year’s game, tonight at University of Phoenix Stadium (8:30, ESPN), has the potential to be even better.
High-scoring Oregon (11-1) is in its fourth straight BCS bowl game under coach Chip Kelly, who is drawing interest for a variety of NFL coaches jobs, following a trip to the 2011 BCS championship game and two Rose Bowls, including the program’s first win in the Granddaddy of Them All in 95 years last season.
Kansas State doesn’t play nearly as fast as the Ducks, but can put up points in a hurry and is led by a Heisman Trophy finalist, do-everything senior quarterback Collin Klein.