Fear the Broncos, particularly if you are a Pac-12 team. Boise has bumped off foes from the conference in the last three Las Vegas meetings. Coach Bryan Harsin is 4-1 straight-up against Pac-12 opponents dating to his days as offensive coordinator. While Oregon QB Justin Herbert is back from an ankle injury, he won’t be handing off to top RB Royce Freeman, who elected to bypass the game. Oregon also is dealing with the departure of head coach Willie Taggart for Florida State as well as a 2-5-1 recent ATS record when stepping outside of its league.

LAS VEGAS BOWL -- The situational factors seem to favor Boise State in the Las Vegas Bowl. Oregon could be in a letdown spot after former coach Willie Taggart pulled a one-and-done and moved on to Florida State. The Ducks also will struggle in the run game without Royce Freeman, who had 1,475 yards and 16 touchdowns this year. Freeman is sitting out to avoid potential injury. Boise State still has a deficit in firepower, but I expect its solid defense to keep this a one-score game.

LAS VEGAS BOWL (Las Vegas, Nev.) -- In what's the top bowl game of the opening Saturday of the bowl season, Oregon will announce to the world that the Ducks of old are back, and will be as good as ever under new permanent head coach Mario Cristobal. The Ducks were 6-1 with quarterback Justin Herbert healthy, averaging 52.1 points per game in the process. Boise State has been decent against the pass this year (44th nationally), but Herbert and the Ducks will have a ton of fun in Sin City and win by double digits.

LAS VEGAS BOWL (Las Vegas, Nev.) -- With the Ducks former coach Willie Taggart off to Florida State, you have to wonder how up for this game will the team be. The thought, and focus, in my opinion should definitely go toward the Boise State Broncos and their well-balanced attack.

LAS VEGAS BOWL (Las Vegas, Nev.) -- Mario Cristobal is the head coach and Jim Leavitt will be coaching the defense, but the biggest piece of the puzzle for Oregon is Justin Herbert will be at QB. The Ducks were 6-1 straight-up with him and 1-4 without him. More importantly, the Ducks scored a median of 52 points per game with him and just 10 without him. With Herbert they passed for an average of 269 and just 70 without him. I have Oregon by 13. Ducks 43 - Boise State 30.

LAS VEGAS BOWL (Las Vegas, Nev.) -- First, we have stabilization with the Oregon program when Mario Cristobal was promoted to interim head coach and then head coach after 70 players signed a petition for him to have the job permanently. I really liked Cristobal when he was at FIU and thought he did a solid job. DC Jim Leavitt is presumed to be going to Florida State, but is still working with the Ducks and will be offered a substantial raise to stay in Eugene. The key to the game is Justin Herbert, the Oregon starting QB. The Ducks were 6-1 straight-up with him and 1-4 without him. More importantly the Ducks scored a median of 52 points per game with him and just 10 without him. With Herbert, they passed for an average of 269 yards and just 70 without him. They went 5-2 over the opening totals on games that Herbert started. With this a bowl game and Cristobal fully in charge, lets have some fun on the football field in Vegas. Boise State will have fun not facing Fresno in back-to-back weeks of methodical defensive football. Brett Rypien is more than capable of putting up his share of points.