Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images

Oregon vs. No. 25 Boise State in the Las Vegas Bowl

Time: 12:30 p.m. PT, Saturday

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Where: Sam Boyd Stadium, Las Vegas

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Records: Oregon (7-5, 4-5 Pac-12); Boise State (10-3, 7-1)

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Coaches: Mario Cristobal, first year (0-0 at Oregon, 27-47 overall as head coach); Bryan Harsin, fourth season at Boise State (41-12 at BSU, 48-17 overall)

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Latest line: Oregon by 7

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On air: TV on ABC, radio on KXTG (750 AM, 102.9 FM), KUGN-AM (590)

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Live stream: Watch ESPN / Watch ESPN app

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Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images

Boise State coach Bryan Harsin walks down Fremont Street during a team appearance Wednesday.

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What's at stake: Several of Oregon's players who lobbied for Mario Cristobal's promotion from co-offensive coordinator to head coach last week say they now feel a responsibility to produce a victory, not only for the springboard it could provide for UO in recruiting but as proof Cristobal was the right man for the job. "We have to prove a point as to why he got elected and prove why we're good," defensive end Jalen Jelks said. Said quarterback Justin Herbert: "Everyone is so supportive of him and I know everyone's going to play their heart out for him." Cristobal called the outpouring of support for his head-coaching candidacy "a life-changing moment because when you're a coach you're a teacher, and why do you teach? To have an impact on others. When something like that occurs and you're humbled, you're floored by it."

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Thomas Boyd

Oregon running back Royce Freeman (21) celebrates a touchdown against Oregon State.

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UO offense vs. BSU defense

Senior running back Royce Freeman will not play, electing to finish his record-setting career fully healthy in order to prepare for the 2018 NFL draft. Handoffs will go primarily to senior Kani Benoit (80 carries for 573 yards and 10 touchdowns) and junior Tony Brooks-James (86 carries for 505 yards and two touchdowns), and lightly-used freshman Darrian Felix could be in the mix, as well (30 carries for 182 yards). Freeman finishes his career as Oregon's all-time leader in rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, rushing yards, all-purpose yards, points scored, 100-yard performances and rushing attempts. His 6,435 rushing yards are sixth-most all-time in NCAA history. "Am I disappointed in him? No," Cristobal said. "I'm not. Do I want to see him play? Absolutely." Senior left tackle Tyrell Crosby, an all-Pac-12 first-team pick from nearby Henderson, Nevada, will finish his career in uniform Saturday in front of several dozen friends and family members. Crosby will wear the number 58 to honor the number of victims -- hundreds more were injured -- of September's mass shooting along the Las Vegas Strip. Crosby has not allowed a single sack or hit on a quarterback this season. Starting right guard Jake Pisarcik has not practiced since bowl preparations began and will not play. The Ducks are averaging 550 yards of offense and 51.2 points per game when quarterback Justin Herbert plays. Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch is the Mountain West defensive player of the year after recording 129 tackles, including 81 solo, this season. He also has 5.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions, including a critical pick late in Boise State's conference title-game victory against Fresno State. Corner Tyler Horton and defensive tackle Curtis Weaver also were first-team all-conference selections. The Broncos this season rank fifth nationally in turnover margin by forcing 26 turnovers and giving up just five.

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Loren Orr

Linebacker Leighton Vander Esch celebrates Boise State's victory over Fresno State in the Mountain West championship game.

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UO defense vs. BSU offense

Boise State has converted 46 percent of third-down opportunities, the 14th-best rate nationally, and is scoring 32.1 points per game. Quarterback Brett Rypien is the country’s 32nd-ranked QB in passing efficiency. Receiver Cedrick Wilson has 1,290 receiving yards, sixth-most nationally. Running back Alexander Mattison is averaging a team-high 82.6 yards per game. Boise State offensive lineman Mason Hampton, tight end Jake Roh and Wilson were Mountain West first-team selections. Entering his career finale, Oregon corner Arrion Springs has one interception in 39 games. “I had a pretty good year,” he said. “I wish I caught some picks but other than that it’s been a really good year. I can’t say I’m disappointed.” He’s part of a UO secondary that has helped the Ducks intercept 13 passes this season, four more than last season. Linebacker Troy Dye changed positions this season, moving from an outside linebacker role to the inside but has flourished. He will lead UO in tackles (he has 103, including 59 solo) for a second consecutive season, the first Duck to do that since 1990-92. In front of him, defensive tackle Jordon Scott has been named to 247Sports’ true freshman all-America team. Scott has 30 tackles. His classmate, corner Thomas Graham Jr., is tied for third on the team with 54 tackles.

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Did you know

Crosby, Oregon’s all-conference left tackle, worked as a Las Vegas Bowl ball boy while in high school.

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Darin Oswald

Cedrick Wilson is Boise State's leading receiver.

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Individual matchup to watch

Oregon corner Arrion Springs vs. Boise State receiver Cedrick Wilson. Wilson has caught a team-high 73 passes for 1,290 yards — 148 of which came against Fresno State in Boise State's Mountain West conference title game victory. He also has six touchdown receptions. Springs was named to Pro Football Focus' first-team all-Pac-12 and has 17 career pass break-ups, which ties him with Cliff Harris for ninth all-time at UO.

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Key stat

Dillon Mitchell leads UO with 33 catches. The last time Oregon’s leading receiver finished a season with fewer than 40 receptions was 1992.

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Key stat part II

Oregon is 13-17 all-time in bowl games. Boise State is 2-0 against Oregon all-time but 0-3 against its last three Power Five conference opponents.

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Key stat part III

Herbert has 14 career starts and has thrown for at least a touchdown in each game.

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They said it

“I would say that everybody is in a better state of mind than they were last year,” senior receiver Charles Nelson, on the state of UO’s program.

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Joe Faraoni / ESPN Images

Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert (left), linebacker Troy Dye and head coach Mario Cristobal before Friday's news conference at the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel.

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Prediction

Oregon 41, Boise State 31

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The last time these teams met

Boise State won the second game of the teams’ home-and-home series, 19-8, on Sept. 3, 2009. It was the first game of Chip Kelly’s four-year tenure but became known for Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount’s punch of BSU defensive end Byron Hout after the game had concluded.

[Read: The Punch lives on, 8 years later]