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The No. 6 Penn State Nittany Lions (13-2, 8-1 Big Ten Conference) took down the No. 3 Boise State Broncos (12-2, 7-0 Mountain West Conference) 31-14 in a strong Fiesta Bowl performance to advance to the semifinals of the 2025 College Football Playoff.
On a cool Dec. 31, 2024 night in Glendale, Ariz., the Nittany Lions relied on a consistent performance from their offense to escape a motivated Boise State team. Star tight end Tyler Warren led the offense with 6 receptions for 63 yards and 2 touchdowns while running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton combined for 216 yards and 1 TD on just 26 carries.
Game Summary
From the opening drive of the game, Penn State's defensive game plan was clear: shut down Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. The electric Heisman Trophy runner-up was bottled up immediately every time he touched the ball on Boise State's first-quarter possessions. Quarterback Maddux Madsen managed to lead the Broncos' offense down the field on the opening drive, but a missed field goal left the Broncos with no points on the board.
Penn State faced little resistance on their opening offensive possession, and quarterback Drew Allar capped off an 8-play, 61-yard drive with an 11-yard TD pass to Warren to take an early 7-0 lead.
The Nittany Lions refused to slow down. On their ensuing offensive possession, Allar found wide receiver Omari Evans with a perfectly-placed 38-yard pass for a TD, giving the Nittany Lions a 14-0 lead to end the first quarter. To the onlooker, it seemed as if the game would get out of hand sooner rather than later.
Boise State, to its credit, found a way to settle into the game as the second quarter got underway. The Broncos managed to force a three-and-out on the high-flying Penn State offense, and a solid punt return set the Boise State offense up in prime field position. Fullback Tyler Crowe paid off the short field with an inspired 8-yard TD run to cut the lead to a touchdown at 14-7.
Boise State's defensive adjustments continued to pay off. Despite a late field goal from Penn State, the Broncos trailed by a manageable score of 17-7 heading into the halftime break.
The Broncos came out with a purpose in the second half. Penn State, dealing with the loss of star defensive end Abdul Carter due to injury, struggled to get pressure on Madsen. The talented Boise State QB found tight end Matt Lauter wide open down the field for a 53-yard TD that pulled the Broncos within three points of the Penn State lead at 17-14.
Penn State's response was swift. Allar capped off an 11-play, 75-yard drive with a TD pass to Warren in the back of the end zone to reclaim the Nittany Lions' 10-point cushion, 24-14.
From there, Penn State did not look back. The Nittany Lions forced a crucial turnover on the Broncos' ensuing offensive possession and came up with pivotal sacks in key moments throughout the fourth quarter. A second missed field goal by Boise State kicker Jonah Dalmas with 10 minutes to go in the fourth quarter sealed the Broncos' fate.
Singleton broke free for an explosive 58-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter to put the finishing touches on an eventual Penn State win.
Turning Point for Nittany Lions
After featuring a strong defensive performance to open the game, the Nittany Lions slipped in the third quarter, allowing Boise State to drive easily down the field on consecutive possessions. With the Broncos' offense in prime position to put points on the board, the Penn State defense came up with the play of the game. Madsen lofted a ball hoping to find wide receiver Cameron Camper downfield but his pass was intercepted by safety Zakee Wheatley, halting all momentum Boise State built in the second half.
What it Means
The Nittany Lions have now beaten top-10 opponents in two straight matchups to open their CFP run. Head coach James Franklin gained a reputation for struggling to win in big games. But his team has risen to the occasion so far in this year's postseason. While Franklin's Penn State teams have previously forged an identity of a strong defense combined with a methodical, bruising offense, the postseason squad has featured an explosive offense behind electric playmakers Allar and Warren.
The Nittany Lions will hope to continue their momentum when they take on the winner of the Sugar Bowl matchup between the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs (11-2, 6-2 Southeastern Conference) and the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-1) in next week's Orange Bowl in Miami.
After a stellar 12-win season led by Jeanty's explosive campaign, the Broncos' season came to a disheartening end in their first-ever CFP matchup. Still, Boise State has plenty of positives to take away from their impressive performance against Penn State. After getting torched on defense to open the game and falling behind 14-0, the Broncos made the defensive adjustments that were necessary to stay in the game. And with Jeanty effectively shut down by Penn State's game plan, Madsen sat in the pocket and delivered the throws needed to keep the Broncos within striking distance late. Going forward, the Broncos can have confidence that they have the pieces needed to continue their success for years to come.
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