GLENDALE, Ariz. — Penn State awaits the winner of the Georgia vs. Notre Dame game in the College Football Playoff.
The Nittany Lions, fresh off crushing SMU in the opening round, defeated Boise State 31-14, in Tuesday’s Fiesta Bowl. Coach James Franklin’s program has been notorious for coming up short in its most meaningful games, but with two favorable matchups, the team has played its way into the final four. The No. 6 Nittany Lions have outscored SMU and Boise State by a collective 69-24.
“We played a complete game,” Franklin said of the Fiesta Bowl.
No. 3 Boise State, which looked vastly overmatched in the first quarter, stayed within 10 points much of the game. It was even a one-score game in the second half, but the defining sequence came on consecutive fourth-quarter possessions. Boise State, down 24-14, missed a 38-yard field goal with 9:20 remaining. Penn State then burned nearly four and a half minutes and iced the game with Nicholas Singleton’s 58-yard touchdown run.
While Penn State (13-2) lost its two toughest games before the playoff – vs. Ohio State and against Oregon in the Big Ten championship game – it’s shown why it’s still a capable threat to get through this tournament. The Nittany Lions are loaded with high-level players. When they’re clicking, they look like a legitimate national title contender.
If quarterback Drew Allar plays as he did to begin Tuesday’s affair, Penn State can defeat anyone. Allar, a monstrous physical specimen at 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds, has been up-and-down during his collegiate career but has taken steps forward under new offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. He was superb early against Boise State, making two spectacular touchdown throws in the first quarter.
His first touchdown was an 11-yard lob to All-American tight end Tyler Warren in the back of the end zone. He fired a 38-yard throw over the Broncos secondary to Omari Evans for the second score. Those were two throws that have some evaluators giddy over Allar’s NFL prospects, though he’s already announced he’ll return to school next season (he could still change his mind). His play largely determines the offense’s ceiling against better competition - and Georgia or Notre Dame will be a sizable step up from the Nittany Lions’ past two foes.
“Drew makes big-time throws,” Franklin said. “He’s a big-bodied kid. He was able to make plays with his feet, which has been a huge part of his development and our offense’s growth. But Drew’s had a phenomenal college career and he’s only going to get better.”
Allar started 10-for-13 but had six straight incompletions afterward, though his supporting cast didn’t always help. The Nittany Lions became a bit pass happy. They returned to their run game after Boise State’s easy 53-yard touchdown cut the lead to three in the third quarter. And who played hero on that ensuing crucial drive? Warren, who made a Randy Moss-esque snag for a 13-yard score that pushed the lead back to 10 at the 7:22 mark of the third quarter. It was a desperately needed touchdown after the Broncos had competed admirably despite an evident physical discrepancy between the teams.
Warren is not only perhaps the best tight end in the country, but when the Nittany Lions take the field in the Orange Bowl, Warren might be the most dominant player across both teams. He physically overpowers defenders and Kotelnicki deploys him in a variety of ways.
“More times than not, you can just chuck it up to him and he’s going to come down with it,” Franklin said.
Certainly, Georgia fans know the impact of a rare-equipped tight end after having Brock Bowers suit up for the Bulldogs. While Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce comparisons are overused, Warren is worthy of such distinction. He had 92 catches for 1,095 yards and 10 touchdowns (six receiving, four rushing), which earned him seventh place in Heisman Trophy voting. When Penn State fell short against Ohio State, their failure to use Warren at the goal line late dominated conversation in the aftermath.
For as potent as Penn State appeared early, Boise State (12-2) hung around. After the Nittany Lions were up 14-0, a botched handoff by Allar resulted in a needed turnover for the Broncos after they’d fumbled it away themselves. Their defense, pushed around in the first quarter, responded strongly and helped Boise State get to halftime in just a 17-7 deficit.
Penn State’s defense had only allowed one 100-yard rusher this season, which made this a tantalizing matchup with Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty, one of the most prolific running backs in college football history. The Nittany Lions sold out to stop Jeanty.
Jeanty ripped a 26-yard run in the fourth quarter, but he was otherwise held to modest gains by his lofty standards. He finished with 104 yards on 30 carries (a 3.5 average; he averaged 7.3 per rush prior).
“We did corral him,” Franklin said, while still lauding Jeanty. “Our defense would say they have a ton of respect for him, the tackles he was able to break, how strong he is, contact balance.”
Jeanty needed 132 rushing yards to break the all-time single-season record held by Barry Sanders. Nevertheless, Jeanty produced one of the great seasons by any running back. He finished just behind Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter in Heisman voting and led his Mountain West team to a CFP berth and first-round bye, a remarkable achievement for a program that’s long punched above its weight.
Boise State will lament missed opportunities. They stayed within striking distance but could never muster enough to take the lead. Jonah Dalmas missed two kicks, including that 38-yard boot that deflated the comeback attempt. They committed 12 penalties for 85 yards. Like SMU the previous round, the Broncos hurt their chance with four turnovers. They had no margin for error as the inferior team.
Singleton and Kaytron Allen combined for 211 yards on 29 carries. Both backs have produced 1,000-yard seasons. Penn State’s rushing attack - and it’s ability to stuff the opponent’s run game - have played an integral part in the first 13-win season in school history.
Boise State’s offense found more success after Nittany Lions edge rusher Abdul Carter left with a wrist injury. Carter is a supreme talent, the best player on an elite defense and a projected top-10 draft pick, and his absence loomed large. Safety Jaylen Reed, another standout, was hurt in the fourth quarter but returned. Carter had his wrist wrapped on the sideline and his status for the next round will be a storyline. Franklin said he didn’t have much information about the injury after the game.
Penn State will now closely watch the Sugar Bowl between the Bulldogs and Fighting Irish. They’ll face the winner in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9. If Georgia advances, it would be the third meeting between the Bulldogs and Nittany Lions. The series is tied 1-1.
“We’re going to enjoy this for a couple hours and then obviously we’ll get a little bit of a head start on these teams,” Franklin said. “But two great programs, won a bunch of games, history, tradition, talent, coaching. At this point in the season, we’re playing really good teams. Excited about the opportunity.”
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