Boise State learns its Fiesta Bowl opponent. They blew out their first-round foe
No. 3 Boise State will face No. 6 Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve in Glendale, Arizona.
Penn State defeated No. 11 SMU 38-10 on Saturday in the first round of the College Football Playoff. The two teams were competing for the right to play Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, the quarterfinal round of the playoffs.
The Nittany Lions (12-2) were firing on all cylinders on Saturday, racing to a 28-0 lead by halftime. Their defense forced SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings to throw three interceptions in the first half, with junior linebacker Dominic DeLuca pulling in two of those.
“They’ve got a couple of different first-round picks on their defense,” Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson said about Penn State earlier this week. “They fly around, they’re well-coached, very sound.”
Edge rusher Adbul Carter was named an Associated Press first-team All-American for the Nittany Lions and will likely be a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Penn State defense entered the playoffs with the nation’s No. 9 rushing defense, allowing just 103.6 yards per game. The run defense didn’t disappoint against SMU, holding the Mustangs to just 58 yards.
If Boise State wants to succeed against Penn State later this month, the Broncos will have to find a way to create space for junior running back Ashton Jeanty to break off some big runs.
The Nittany Lions’ offense entered the playoffs ranked 25th in the nation for scoring, averaging 33.6 points per game. That’s almost a touchdown behind Boise State, which averages 39.1 points per game to rank fourth in the nation.
“Offensively, they put you in a lot of conflict,” Danielson said. “They have one of the best tight ends in the nation; he’ll be the first one off the board.”
Penn State tight end Tyler Warren was also named an AP first-team All-American. Warren is Penn State quarterback Drew Allar’s favorite target; he has 1,095 yards on 92 receptions, but had just 33 yards on Saturday against SMU.
The real danger for Penn State comes from its two-headed rushing attack. The Nittany Lions have two running backs — Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen — who have rushed for over 800 yards this season. Against SMU, the duo combined for 160 yards and three touchdowns.
Of course, those totals pale compared to Jeanty, who has 2,497 yards to lead the nation.
Boise State and Penn State will kick off at 5:30 p.m. Mountain time on Dec. 31 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The winner will face the winner of No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7 Notre Dame in the semifinals.
This story was originally published December 21, 2024 at 1:33 PM.
