PORTLAND, Ore. -- He's only 5-foot-6, but Colorado punt returner Roman Hollowell puts the fear of a much bigger player in Oregon coach Mike Bellotti's heart.

"He's as scary a guy as we've played this year. I'm really trying to figure out how to not give him the football, to be honest with you," Bellotti said Saturday.

No. 3 Colorado (10-2) leads the nation in punt returns, something that the No. 2 Ducks (10-1), will pay close attention to when the two teams meet Jan. 1 for the Fiesta Bowl in Tempe, Ariz.

Hollowell averages 18 yards per return and has scored two touchdowns off punts. The Ducks have allowed an average of 6.3 yards per return.

Bellotti said special teams would be a key factor against Colorado, with its strong offensive line, and said he was impressed by "physical nature" of Colorado's running backs after watching tapes.

"I won't be surprise to see it be a track meet, but I do think that special teams play ... will be a key factor in the game," he said. "If you just look at stats, we are fairly close ... both in scoring well and having offensive players that can move the ball up and down the field."

In its last four games, Colorado has rushed for 242, 255, 380 and 223 yards. The team averages 228.5 rushing yards per game. Oregon has averaged 196.5 yards per game, led by Maurice Morris who averages 96 yards per game.

"We need to find a way to contain Colorado's running game -- I don't know if you can stop it -- but we need to contain it. We need to never punt in the game, so our offense obviously has to be very efficient and very effective," he said.

Oregon and Colorado have a chance at a split national championship this year after both teams lost a chance to play in the Rose Bowl when the Bowl Championship Series rankings listed Nebraska as No. 2. The BCS ranked Colorado third and Oregon fourth.

Should Nebraska, ranked fourth in both the Associated Press and coaches' polls, beat consensus No. 1 Miami in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 3, the 72 voters in the AP poll could choose the Fiesta winner as the national champion. The coaches are obliged to cast their vote for the Rose Bowl winner.

On Saturday, Bellotti toned down his previous comments about the BCS system, saying he would be happy with a split championship. Two weeks ago, after the rankings were announced, Bellotti called the BCS system a cancer.

"I think that that is the only consolation prize available to us at this point, so we would feel good about that and take it," he said Saturday during a conference call.

He also had kind words for his players, saying that although they weren't the most talented team he had ever coached, they were the most hardworking and cohesive.

"It has reached a greater percentage of its potential than any other team ever has," he said. "It has some unique chemistry and unity that manifests itself in some great wins on the field."

The Ducks arrive in Tempe on Dec. 26 to prepare for the game.