Penn State bottles up Ashton Jeanty, defeating Boise State 31-14 in the Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday night. This victory secured the Nittany Lions a coveted spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
With a record of 13-2, the Nittany Lions, seeded No. 6 in the CFP, began their playoff journey with a decisive win over SMU. They quickly established dominance against Boise State, racing to a 14-0 lead.
The Broncos, boasting a 12-2 record and ranked No. 3 in the CFP, have a history of thriving as underdogs, a reputation solidified during their thrilling 2007 Fiesta Bowl appearance.
Despite the early setback, Boise State rallied, narrowing the gap to 17-14 with Matt Lauter’s impressive 53-yard touchdown catch in the third quarter.
However, Penn State thwarted the Broncos’ comeback efforts. Allar responded with a touchdown pass to Tyler Warren, the John Mackey Award winner, and Nick Singleton added a spectacular 58-yard touchdown run, propelling the Nittany Lions toward the Jan. 9 Orange Bowl against either No. 2 Georgia or No. 3 Notre Dame.
The Nittany Lions’ success stemmed from their control of the line of scrimmage and their ability to limit Jeanty’s running opportunities. The Heisman Trophy runner-up finished with a season-low of 104 yards on 30 carries, falling short of Barry Sanders’ single-season NCAA record by 27 yards.
Allar faced criticism throughout the season for being a game manager, but he proved his critics wrong early in the game, connecting with Warren for an 11-yard touchdown and later finding Omari Evans for a 38-yard score.
The Broncos attempted to shift momentum by applying pressure on Allar, managing to strip the ball from him shortly after Jeanty lost possession for the third time this season.
In a surprising move, Boise State turned to fullback Tyler Crowe, who powered through for an 8-yard touchdown that reduced Penn State’s lead. With Lauter’s touchdown, hope flickered for a comeback, but the Broncos’ efforts ultimately fell short.
Quarterback Maddux Madsen struggled, throwing three interceptions, while kicker Jonah Dalmas missed his second field goal attempt, leaving Boise State unable to advance to the CFP semifinals.