No. 6 seed Penn State grew to become the primary crew to earn a spot within the Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinals with a 31-14 win in opposition to No. 3 seed Boise State within the Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday evening. The Nittany Lions will meet the winner of Wednesday evening’s Notre Dame vs. Georgia recreation on Jan. 9 within the Orange Bowl with a spot within the nationwide championship on the road.
In a recreation stuffed with miscues on each side, Penn State received extra large performs from its All-American, tight finish Tyler Warren, than Boise State received from Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty. Warren caught a pair of touchdowns, whereas the Nittany Lions contained Jeanty and prevented him from breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season FBS dashing file. With Jeanty contained, Boise State couldn’t survive 4 turnovers, 13 penalties for 90 yards and two missed area targets in opposition to the closely favored Nittany Lions.
Penn State (13-2) received an exclamation level landing with 4:54 left when Nicholas Singleton broke free for a 58-yard landing to place the sport out of attain for the Broncos, who completed their season 12-2. Each groups entered the sport undefeated within the Fiesta Bowl; the Nittany Lions moved to 8-0 within the recreation, whereas Boise State fell to 3-1.
With the win, Penn State has a 51 p.c likelihood to make the championship recreation and a 20 p.c likelihood to win its first nationwide title since 1986, based on The Athletic’s projections mannequin.
PENN STATE BREAKS THE GAME OPEN 😳
Nicholas Singleton takes it 58 yards to the home 🏠 pic.twitter.com/bE4KuTM77T
— ESPN (@espn) January 1, 2025
The Athletic’s immediate evaluation:
It’s not simply the Playoff path: Penn State is clicking on the proper time
For many of the season I might not have put “Penn State” and “nationwide title contender” in the identical sentence. The Nittany Lions had been lucky to outlive on the street at Minnesota of their second-to-last common season recreation, profitable 26-25. However it looks as if one thing flipped the subsequent week, a 44-7 dwelling rout of Maryland. It’s been enjoying with a distinct swagger ever since, even in defeat in opposition to Oregon within the Large Ten championship recreation, during which their offense was unusually explosive.
So don’t blame the postseason path. Whereas not as dominant in opposition to Boise State because it was in opposition to SMU within the earlier spherical, Penn State was barely at risk Tuesday evening. As quickly because the Broncos received inside 17-14 within the third quarter, Drew Allar marched them again down the sector and threw an ideal landing go to Warren. A usually sloppy efficiency helped hold Boise State in it longer, however Singleton’s late landing sprint assured one other lopsided ultimate rating.
The Nittany Lions will probably be underdogs of their semifinal recreation in opposition to Georgia or Notre Dame, however it might be foolish at this level to rely them out. Not with their working recreation buzzing prefer it has the previous few video games, with the Allar-to-Warren connection and a protection that proved to be the primary all season able to slowing down Jeanty. — Stewart Mandel
Penn State bottled up Jeanty with out its finest defender
The project was identified all week: Get everybody to the soccer to wrap up and deal with Jeanty. Tom Allen’s protection did what no person else in school soccer has finished this season and held Jeanty to a season-low 104 yards dashing on 30 carries. His earlier low was 127 yards in opposition to Portland State in September. It’s the primary time he’s averaged underneath 4 yards per carry since Sept. 30, 2023.
Penn State misplaced the Large Ten defensive participant of the yr, defensive finish Abdul Carter, within the second quarter, as he exited with what seemed to be an harm to his left arm and didn’t return. In his place, Amin Vanover stepped into a much bigger position whereas reserves Smith Vilbert and freshman Max Granville additionally chipped in.
That Penn State was in a position to hold Jeanty in examine with out among the finest defensive gamers in school soccer on the sector for many of the recreation was exceptional. The inside of Penn State’s line with Zane Durant, Dvon J-Thomas and Coziah Izzard was stellar. The protection took Boise State away from what it does finest. — Snyder
Penn State held Ashton Jeanty to simply 3.5 yards per rush. (Christian Petersen / Getty Photographs)
Jeanty’s historic season ends with a whimper
The ultimate stat line was strong sufficient: 104 yards on 30 carries, if nicely under his 192.1 yard-per-game common this season. Jeanty completed his epic yr with 2,601 dashing yards, 27 yards in need of Barry Sanders’ all-time file of two,628 yards — although he did go Melvin Gordon for second on the listing.
After one of many biggest single-season performances by a working again within the historical past of faculty soccer, Jeanty couldn’t fairly muster the superhuman magic he flashed all season for Boise State. The Heisman runner-up had simply 39 dashing yards at halftime and one other 23 receiving yards, as he was swallowed up by a swarming Penn State protection.
Tuesday’s displaying shouldn’t negate and even diminish what Jeanty completed in 2024, however the unanimous All-American didn’t put an exclamation level on a memorable season, which match the broader theme of an overmatched Boise State crew in opposition to Penn State. — Williams
Warren comes up large once more
Warren, who received the Mackey Award because the nation’s finest tight finish, broke Penn State’s single-season file for catches when he hauled in his 98th reception throughout the third quarter. Fittingly, Warren did so with a spectacular 13-yard landing seize behind the top zone. That landing — his second of the sport — prolonged Penn State’s result in 10 factors. He completed with six catches for 63 yards.
Allar had an uneven recreation, particularly when pressured, however Penn State’s pass-catchers put collectively considered one of their most spectacular showings of the season. Along with Warren dwelling as much as his All-America billing, Omari Evans flashed big-play potential with a 38-yard landing reception to offer the Lions a 14-0 lead within the first quarter. Penn State has wanted somebody to step as much as complement Warren, and it lastly received that Tuesday — a promising signal because the Playoff run continues. — Snyder
TYLER WARREN’S SECOND TD OF THE DAY 😮
He extends the lead for the Nittany Lions 🏈 pic.twitter.com/kulMW52CNb
— ESPN (@espn) January 1, 2025
Broncos too conservative in first half
On the opening drive of the sport, Boise State tried a 45-yard area purpose on fourth-and-2 from the 28-yard line quite than hand the ball to one of the best working again in school soccer. Kicker Jonah Dalmas shanked it so badly that “huge left” doesn’t do it justice.
It was a shocking choice by a Boise State crew that entered the sport 15-for-21 on fourth-down makes an attempt, because it’s been aggressive and inclined to go along with the analytics this season. In a recreation the place the Broncos had been a double-digit underdog and at a transparent expertise drawback, Boise State had an opportunity to set the tone and get some early momentum. It squandered that likelihood.
It was an identical story late within the first half, when Boise State selected to punt on fourth-and-1 from its personal 29 yard line. The analytics in all probability wouldn’t have favored that one, however the punt led to a Penn State area purpose and 17-7 Nittany Lions halftime lead. A crew that was aggressive in these moments all season went the opposite route in a giant second and got here up empty each occasions. — Williams
What’s subsequent on Jan. 1?
The remaining three quarterfinals will probably be performed in a triple-header at bowl websites on Wednesday:
1 p.m. ET: No. 4 Arizona State vs. No. 5 Texas (Peach Bowl)
5 p.m. ET: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Ohio State (Rose Bowl)
8:45 p.m. ET: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7 Notre Dame (Sugar Bowl)
GO DEEPER
What rival coaches say in regards to the Fiesta, Peach, Rose and Sugar Bowl matchups
(Prime photograph of Tyler Warren: Christian Petersen / Getty Photographs)
