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Fiesta Bowl: Undefeated Liberty faces its stiffest test yet against No. 8 Oregon

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Fiesta Bowl: Undefeated Liberty faces its stiffest test yet against No. 8 Oregon


GLENDALE, Ariz. — No. 23 Liberty rolled through its sixth season as a Division I program undefeated, earning a spot in Monday’s Fiesta Bowl.

Awaiting the Flames in the desert is something unlike anything they’ve faced, maybe ever: the big, bad Oregon Ducks.

“It doesn’t take a lot of time to watch the video to know how talented they are,” Liberty coach Jamey Chadwell said. “We shared with (the team), and I think I’ve said it before, they’re six points away from playing for a national championship. That’s how good they are. Going into championship weekend, they were the favorites to win the national championship. They’re tremendous.”

Oddsmakers certainly think so.

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No. 8 Oregon is a 17 1/2-point favorite, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, one of the most lopsided betting lines during bowl season.

The Ducks (11-2) steamrolled through their schedule, outside of two games against No. 2 Washington, one of four College Football Playoff teams. Oregon lost by three in both games, including the Pac-12 title game.

The Ducks are led by quarterback Bo Nix, a Heisman Trophy finalist who has put up gaudy numbers and has a chance to break the NCAA single-season record for completion percentage.

Oregon has one of the best offensive lines in the country, a group that allowed an FBS-low five sacks this season. The Ducks’ pass-blocking grade of 92.0 is the best in the country, according to Pro Football Focus.

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Oregon’s defense has been just as good, finishing 12th against the run (97.5 yards per game) while giving up 10 points or fewer six times.

The Ducks aren’t about to take the Flames lightly either.

“Several of the players on their team started off at Power Five schools, and I don’t know if everybody realizes this, they’ve won every single game they’ve played,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said with a touch of sarcasm. “That’s a pretty good team and our players recognize that.”

Liberty (13-0) has played the best season in program history despite enduring a tragedy before it even started.

Early in camp, freshman offensive lineman Tajh Boyd died, ruled by the medical examiner as a suicide.

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The Flames bonded around their fallen teammate throughout the season.

“When things like that happen, you can either fall apart or you can make it a point to be around each other and be together and try to stay together,” Liberty offensive lineman X’Zavea Gadlin said. “We really did that.”

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No one would have blamed Nix for skipping the Fiesta Bowl to prepare for the NFL draft.

The senior already proved himself during the regular season, throwing for 4,145 yards and 40 touchdowns with three interceptions. His completion percentage of 77.2% is right behind the record of 77.4% set by Alabama’s Mac Jones in 2020.

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Nix wasn’t interested in riding off without his teammates.

“You go the whole season, you’re playing and you’re going week by week, and things get crazy,” Nix said. “When you get to the bowl game, it’s like your last hurrah for the whole team and your last time to be together to maximize that time with your teammates and coach.”

Oregon’s offensive line may have had the nation’s best grades, but Liberty’s group is also first class.

Liberty arrives in the desert with the nation’s best rushing attack at 302.9 yards per game — more than 20 ahead of Air Force, the next-closest team.

The Flames also are the only FBS team with two 1,000-yard rushers. Quinton Cooley is 13th nationally with 1,322 yards, and quarterback Kaidon Salter added 1,064. Salter also has thrown for 31 touchdowns and accounted for 43, both school records.

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Oregon Lottery Pick 4 results for March 5

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The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 5, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 5 drawing

1PM: 6-6-8-1

4PM: 7-4-6-0

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7PM: 5-6-5-2

10PM: 3-5-4-4

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
  • Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Where Oregon Ducks rank in industry recruiting rankings for 2027 class

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Where Oregon Ducks rank in industry recruiting rankings for 2027 class


With the winter evaluation period of high school football recruiting now behind us, we’ve seen some of the top recruiting sites update their rankings over the past few weeks and start to reset their boards for the 2027 class. In February, On3 shifted players around after getting fresh looks at the class, and 247Sports did the same earlier this week.

So with Oregon’s handful of commits getting new ratings, where does the Ducks’ class rank nationally in this cycle?

If you look at sites individually, it looks different, with 247Sports having Oregon sitting at No. 13 in the nation. At Rivals, though, they take the industry ranking, which factors in their own rankings, plus an average from 247Sports and ESPN.

In the industry rankings, Oregon sits at No. 9 in the nation, with five commitments.

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Going into the summer months, the Ducks are in a great spot, leading or among the top schools for a handful of the top prospects in the nation, like 5-star QB Will Mencl or 5-star WR Dakota Guerrant. We will see what movement Oregon can make in the coming months after official visits take place early in the summer.

Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions. 



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New Data Shows Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise

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New Data Shows Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise


Data released by the Oregon Health Authority this week suggests Oregonians are getting hurt on electric scooters more every year.

In recent years, according to OHA, an “e-scooter-specific code” was developed for health care tracking purposes.

From 2021 to 2024, annual injury reports under this code from Oregon hospitals and emergency departments jumped from 211 to 418.

And in just the first nine months of 2025, there had been 509 such reports.

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“These injuries are not minor scrapes,” said Dagan Wright, an OHA epidemiologist, in a written statement. “They often involve head injuries, broken bones, and other serious trauma that requires emergency or inpatient care.”

The city of Portland signed contracts with three e-scooter rental companies in 2018, as the transportation craze spread across the country. But e-scooter injury diagnosis codes are relatively new in health care reporting, Wright said in the OHA statement.

“While the overall numbers remain smaller than for other transportation-related injuries, the rapid increase over a short period of time is a clear safety signal,” OHA added.

The agency highlighted the story of Portland e-scooter commuter Daniel Pflieger, who it says was riding a scooter home when he reportedly slid on ice. He bruised several ribs.

Sometimes outcomes are worse. OHA identified 17 deaths linked to electric or motorized scooters since 2018, and seven of those occurred in 2025.

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OHA says that e-bikes raise many similar safety concerns as e-scooters. The first full year for which e-bike injuries were coded for reporting was 2023. State data shows 392 reported e-bike injuries that year, 683 in 2024, and 760 in the first nine months of 2025.

“Injuries involving e-bikes and e-scooters share common risk factors—speed, lack of helmet use, roadway design, and interactions with motor vehicles,” Wright said.

Oregon E-Scooter Injuries on the Rise (Source: Oregon Health Authority)

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