Penn State headed to the Orange Bowl after dominating Boise State 31-14
(CNN) — Boise State will rue all their missed chances in Tuesday’s Fiesta Bowl, and their inability to keep Penn State from converting time after time in the Nittany Lions’ 31-14 victory on New Year’s Eve.
The Fiesta Bowl victors become the first of four teams to earn a spot in the coveted College Football Playoff semifinals. The Nittany Lions will face Wednesday’s Sugar Bowl winners, either seventh-seeded Notre Dame or second-seeded Georgia, in the Orange Bowl on January 9.
No. 6 seed Penn State scored multiple big-play touchdowns through the air early in the game and punctuated the contest with a Broncos-busting 58-yard score from which No. 3 seed Boise State never recovered in Glendale, Arizona.
One of those missed opportunities, headlined by a penalty, turned the game in the second half.
With the score 24-14 in favor of Penn State and the Broncos driving within 20 yards of PSU’s end zone, quarterback Maddux Madsen found Prince Strachan for what appeared to be the touchdown that would have set up a climatic final quarter. But the play was nullified by a hands-to-the-face personal foul call on offensive lineman Hall Schmidt.
Two plays later, Madsen’s lofted pass fell directly into the arms of an anticipating Zakee Wheatley of Penn State, whose return set up the Nittany Lions backbreaker.
With PSU up 10 with just five minutes remaining in the 4th quarter, Nicholas Singleton took the Drew Allar handoff and ran nearly untouched 58 yards to the house to expand the lead 34-14 and to deflate the Boise faithful.
Allar threw three touchdown passes, while Boise State’s star running back Ashton Jeanty was a non-factor in the showdown.
After compiling 2,497 rushing yards this season, Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty was held in check by the nationally ranked Nittany Lions defense. Jeanty gained a quiet 104 yards Tuesday – this after running up the fourth-most yards in FBS single-season history.
Jeanty’s total after the Fiesta Bowl defeat left the junior 27 yards shy of Barry Sanders’ all-time, single-season NCAA record.
After the team’s 13th win on the season, head coach James Franklin described how proud he was of the containment of the phenomenal Jeanty.
“I think our team was sick of talking about him. I think we got the point across about the respect that we have for the young man and the type of running back that he is,” Franklin said.
“Our defense played lights out.”
Penn State’s difference-making tight end Tyler Warren had two impressive TD catches from Allar as part of his six-reception night, with both scores showing off his athleticism.
The game’s first touchdown resulted from Warren making a foot-tapping catch in the corner of the end zone. He followed it up with a crucial leaping grab in the back of the end zone to keep the Broncos at bay in the third quarter.
After the win, Warren was focused on Penn State’s triumph and not on what could happen in Wednesday’s three CFP quarterfinal games.
“I’ll be celebrating with my teammates tonight, and I’ll figure out the football tomorrow when we get there,” he told ESPN after winning the Fiesta Bowl’s Offensive Most Valuable Player award.
His 98 total receptions in a season are the most in Penn State history, according to ESPN.
Wheatley earned the defensive MVP honor.
This was the first-ever meeting between the football programs.
This story has been updated with additional information.
The-CNN-Wire
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