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It is a matchup between the Pac-10 Conference and the Mountain West Conference. Both teams were in the position to win their respective conferences.

This is the fifth straight appearance for Brigham Young in the Las Vegas Bowl with the record of 2-2 in the previous four appearances, while Oregon State is in its fourth consecutive bowl game and looking to remain undefeated in that stretch and 2-0 in this bowl. And statistically, it is a game between two evenly matched teams. Both averaged over 400 yards of offense this season.

BYU will feature QB Max Hall, TE Dennis Pitta, who holds the NCAA record for tight ends with 2,856 career receiving yards, and the program’s all-time leading rusher Harvey Unga, who rushed for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. Defensively, BYU will need that 23rd-ranked rushing defense to stop that prolific Oregon State.

OSU will counter with QB Sean Canfield and RB Jacquizz Rodgers. Canfield is a prolific passer with a completion percentage of 70% who passed for over 3,100 yards and 21 touchdowns. Rogers ran for 1,377 yards and 20 touchdowns, a school record. The OSU will also add to its arsenal WR James Rogers, who had 1,007 yards receiving.

OSU has a 5-3 lead in this series, but they last met in 1986 in Provo when the Beavers escaped with a 10-7 victory. In a matchup between two evenly-match teams, perhaps the one statistic in which one team is has the advantage is in the turnover margin category. OSU is tied for 27th in that category, while BYU is ranked 66.