Oregon vs. Kansas State in Fiesta Bowl: best in bowl series?

Jan. 3, 2013 - PRLog -- And when it takes on Collin Klein (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/football/collin-klein-PESPT0016419.topic) -- who finished third for the Heisman Trophy (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/football/college-football/heisman-trophy-EVSPR000087.topic) -- and Kansas State at the Fiesta Bowl (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/football/fiesta-bowl-EVSPR000092.topic) tonight, the game might be the best of this season's bowl series matchups, according to Times college football columnist Chris Dufresne.

"This would have been the national title game at 5 p.m. on Nov. 17 -- unfortunately, after 5 p.m. both these teams lost on the same day and they kind of got pushed into this NCAA (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/college-sports/national-collegiate-athletic-association-ORSPT000122.topic) consolation game," Dufresne said.

Dufresne joined USC writer Gary Klein and UCLA writer Chris Foster in a Google+ hangout in the Sports Now blog earlier today, discussing the Fiesta Bowl matchup, Oregon Coach Chip Kelly’s potential NFL (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/football/national-foo...) future and rumors that UCLA’s Jim Mora could be headed to the San Diego Chargers (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/football/san-diego-ch...).

Coach Chip Kelly returned to Oregon this season after almost taking the open NFL coaching position with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/football/tampa-bay-bu...) because, he said, he had “unfinished business.”

He didn’t grab the national championship -- Notre Dame (http://www.latimes.com/topic/sports/college-sports/notre-dame-fighting-irish-ORSPT00000148.topic) and Alabama will play for that on Monday -- but with the number of coaching vacancies in the pros, Kelly will still be highly sought after.

How about Mora’s chances of leaving UCLA to go to the Chargers? Foster says no dice.

“He’s got a few more years to get NFL teams interested,” he said.

The crew also discussed the future of USC and Coach Lane Kiffin, who’s expected to be on a short leash heading into next season.  After a 7-6 record, one would expect nothing less.

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