Glendale, Ariz. — The Penn State defense dominated the Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday night, smothering Boise State’s Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty and securing a 31-14 win to advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Despite surpassing 100 rushing yards, Jeanty was stymied at nearly every turn by the Nittany Lions’ relentless defense. Meanwhile, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar delivered three touchdown passes to lead his team to victory.
“We knew who we were up against and made sure to swarm to the ball on every play,” said Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley, who contributed an interception and a fumble recovery. “It was all about discipline and execution, and we delivered.”
The Nittany Lions (13-2, CFP No. 6 seed) opened their CFP journey with a decisive win over SMU and appeared poised for another blowout after jumping to a 14-0 lead. However, the Broncos (12-2, CFP No. 3 seed) fought back, cutting the deficit to 17-14 early in the third quarter.
That’s when Penn State seized control for good.
Allar connected with tight end Tyler Warren, the John Mackey Award winner, for a second touchdown before Nick Singleton broke loose for a 58-yard scoring run, sealing the game. Penn State now advances to the Jan. 9 Orange Bowl, where they will face either No. 2 Georgia or No. 3 Notre Dame.
“We played complete, complementary football,” said Penn State head coach James Franklin. “Offense, defense, and special teams all came together, and it was something special.”
Defensive Dominance
Penn State’s defense was relentless, limiting Jeanty to a season-low 104 yards on 30 carries—just 3.5 yards per attempt, half his usual average. Jeanty fell 27 yards shy of breaking Barry Sanders’ NCAA single-season rushing record from 1988.
“They have a great defensive front,” Jeanty admitted. “They executed, tackled well, and we didn’t play our best.”
Penn State’s offense complemented its defensive effort with a punishing ground game, amassing 216 rushing yards. Kaytron Allen led the charge with 134 yards, while Singleton added 87.
Allar, often criticized this season, showed poise, completing 13 of 25 passes for 171 yards. He set the tone early with a pair of first-quarter touchdown passes: an 11-yard strike to Warren and a 38-yard bomb to Omari Evans.
Boise State’s Fight Falls Short
The Broncos, known for their underdog spirit since their iconic 2007 Fiesta Bowl win, responded valiantly. After Jeanty’s fumble, Boise State’s Tyler Crowe powered through defenders for an 8-yard touchdown, and Matt Lauter hauled in a 53-yard touchdown reception to narrow the gap.
However, Penn State’s defense held firm. Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen threw three interceptions, and kicker Jonah Dalmas missed two field goals, halting the Broncos’ comeback hopes.
“A lot of people doubted us, but we fought hard,” said Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson. “We just came up a couple of plays short.”
What’s Next?
Penn State now prepares for a showdown with either Georgia or Notre Dame in the CFP semifinals on Jan. 9.
Boise State will turn its attention to the 2025 season, opening against South Florida on Aug. 30.
