This hasn’t been the season Michigan State has hoped for, but there’s a golden — or bright neon, depending on your preferences — opportunity to finish with a bang. That’s because they get a high-profile program in Oregon as its bowl opponent.

The 7-5 Spartans will take on the 8-4 Ducks on Monday, Dec. 31 at 3 p.m. ET in the Redbox Bowl at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. It’s the home of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. Oregon, for years a perennial playoff contender, was down a bit this year, too, but it’s still a matchup that will attract eyeballs. Oregon is a 1.5-point favorite in the opening line.

Here are five things to know about Oregon headed into the Redox Bowl:

The NFL loves Oregon QB Justin Herbert

And rightly so. Many draft experts consider him the best pro prospect at quarterback right now and it’s still unclear if Herbert will turn pro or stick around Oregon for another year. He’s certainly ready, but he hasn’t given any hints about what he’ll do. ESPN’s NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr. ranks Herbert as the No. 1 draft-eligible quarterback and the No. 4 overall prospect. Herbert threw for 2,985 yards with 28 touchdowns and eight interceptions during the regular season, but he bruised his shoulder in the season finale against Oregon State. There was some concern that he might skip the bowl game, but Oregon officials said Monday that he’s fine and will be playing in the game.

Midseason swoon ruined Pac-12 title hopes

Oregon is usually in contention for the Pac-12 title every year, and for the longest time it looked like it would be again this season. The Ducks beat eventual Pac-12 champion Washington in mid-October, and were 5-1 and looking good. But then they hit the skids, dropping three of their next four games to Washington State, Arizona and Utah before winning their last two.

As always, its offense will put up points

Oregon seems to be one of the country’s best offenses just about every year, and 2018 was no different. They scored 30 or more points nine times, more than 40 points five times and eclipsed 55 points on three occasions. To compare, MSU didn’t top 30 points once after September. Herbert is very good, but the running game also did well, putting  up nearly 2,300 yards. They’ll be a good challenge for that top-ranking Michigan State rush defense.

There is one common opponent this year — Arizona State

Both teams played Arizona State this year. Michigan State went out the desert in early September and lost a game in 100-degree heat, falling 16-13 despite being 6-point favorites. That was the night where we knew for sure that Michigan State’s secondary was in trouble without the injured Josiah Scott. Arizona State quarterback Manny Wilkins threw for 380 yards that night. Oregon beat ASU on Nov. 17, winning 31-29 while holding Wilkins to just 182 yards passing.

This will feel like a home game for Oregon

Since the San Francisco area is so expensive and the Spartans have traveled to California a lot in the past few years for bowl games, this will probably be a hugely pro-Oregon crowd. Frankly, the Spartans preferred a Florida bowl this year, but got passed over in the pecking order because of their stagger down the finish. Sparty was basically Big Ten’s eighth-most attractive bowl-eligible team, with only Minnesota, who is going to Detroit for the Quick Lane Bowl, getting picked behind the Spartans.