Article updated: 1/2/2013 3:01 PM

Fiesta Bowl gets prime matchup of Wildcats, Ducks

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Oregon head coach Chip Kelly, left, and Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder pose Wednesday with the Fiesta Bowl champions trophy in Scottsdale, Ariz. Oregon and Kansas state play Thursday in the Fiesta Bowl.

Associated Press

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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 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.