The first year of the 12-team College Football Playoff has presented some good matchups. Here is the 2024 Fiesta Bowl Preview.
Penn State Nittany Lions (12-2)
Penn State won 11 games and made the Big Ten Championship Game before being selected as an at-large team for the CFP. They defeated seven bowl-eligible teams this season: West Virginia, Bowling Green, Illinois, USC, Washington, Minnesota and Maryland. Their only two losses, to Ohio State and Oregon, where to teams who are also in the CFP field. They defeated SMU 38-10 in the CFP First Round.
The Nittany Lions score 35.4 points per game, ranking 21st in the country. They pass for 238.6 yards (ranked 54th) and rush for 201.2 yards per game (ranked 19th).
Drew Allar has been the starting quarterback for the Nittany Lions this season after playing solidly last year. He has passed for 3,021 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions on 68.5 percent completion. Five receivers have at least 200 receiving yards on the season for Penn State. Tight end Tyler Warren was a star this season with 92 receptions for 1,095 yards and six touchdowns.
Two running backs lead the way for the Penn State rushing attack. Nicholas Singleton leads the team with 928 yards and eight touchdowns. Kaytron fallen has also been successful with 892 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. The rushing attack will be missing one wrinkle, as Beau Pribula is in the transfer portal. He would come in sporadically to mostly run the football.
The Penn State defense allows 15.9 points per game, ranking sixth in the country. They give up 100.4 rushing yards and 179.6 passing yards per game. Jaylen Reed and Kobe King have been the leading tacklers with 84 and 80 tackles respectively. Abdul Carter just started playing edge rusher full-time this season and has produced with 11 sacks. Elliott Washington has been good in the secondary with five passes defended and one interception.
Boise State Broncos (12-1)
Boise State won 12 games this season to earn the no. 3 seed and a bye in the first round of the College Football Playoff. They won five games against bowl-eligible teams this season: Georgia Southern, Washington State, San Jose State and UNLV twice. Their lone loss of the season was to Oregon.
The Broncos score 39.1 points per game, ranking them sixth in the country. They pass for 219.6 yards (ranked 78th) and rush for 250.5 yards per game (ranked fifth).
Maddux Madsen won the quarterback job after playing some in 2023. He has passed for 2,714 yards, 22 touchdowns and three interceptions on 62 percent completion. Four players had at least 200 receiving yards on the season or the Broncos. Cameron Camper has been the leading target with 55 catches for 837 yards and four touchdowns.
Ashton Jeanty has had a memorable season at running back for the Broncos. He has rushed for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns on the season. Madsen has rushed for 226 yards from the quarterback position, while backup running back Sire Gaines rushed for 156 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively, the Broncos give up 21.9 points per game, ranking 36th in the FBS. They allow 246.8 passing yards and 115.1 rushing yards per game. Ty Benefield leads the team with 73 total tackles. Jayden Virgin-Morgan has the team-high with 10 sacks. A’Marion McCoy has made plays on the ball with 13 passes defended and one interception.
Prediction
Penn State has the talent to slow down Ashton Jeanty. Drew Allar seems to have improved as the season has gone on at quarterback for the Nittany Lions. He can’t take advantage of a Boise State passing defense that has had some holes in it this season. Penn State should be able to win this game by a decent margin.
Penn State 31 Boise State 17
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