Final Predictions for Penn State vs Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl Quarterfinals game of the College Football Playoff
The first round of the College Football Playoff and the vast majority of FBS bowl season are already wrapped up. It's time for the best of the best teams in all of college football to shine.James Franklin and his Penn State Nittany Lions are set to face off against Spencer Danielson and the Boise State […]
The first round of the College Football Playoff and the vast majority of FBS bowl season are already wrapped up. It's time for the best of the best teams in all of college football to shine.
James Franklin and his Penn State Nittany Lions are set to face off against Spencer Danielson and the Boise State Broncos in the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinals game of the College Football Playoff on Tuesday December 31st at 7:30pm ET. Which team will come out on top, earning a spot in the semifinals of the first ever 12-Team College Football Playoff?
Penn State ranks Top 6 among all FBS teams in adjusted EPA per play for both offense and defense. Their only losses are to Ohio State and Oregon, both by one possession. The three-seed Boise State Broncos and Ashton Jeanty have only lost to the one-seed Oregon Ducks this season, but their defense has been a major problem as they rank 70th in yards per play allowed.
Heading into this epic quarterfinal matchup between the Nittany Lions and the Broncos, media members of A to Z Sports who cover college football year-round decided to weigh in, sharing their predictions for this incredible playoff game. The picks are in. Enjoy!
Penn State 31, Boise State 20
Drew Allar finished the 2024 season as a Top 10 quarterback in the nation by all the most meaningful metrics. He stepped up all year long as the five star talent Penn State thought he could be. Ashton Jeanty nearly won the Heisman Trophy as he racked up an absolutely wild 2,613 yards from scrimmage. This is going to be a fun battle featuring two the best offensive talents in the nation.
But the real difference will come in the form of Penn State's advantage on defense. Elite future first round edge defender Abdul Carter and the Nittany Lions' top five defense will likely do enough to contain Boise State's rushing attack. Meanwhile, the Broncos defense that has struggled immensely against the pass and run against their better opponents will give up far too many big plays. Penn State wins and moves on to the semifinals of the first 12-Team College Football Playoff (and perhaps the championship game shortly after). – Travis May
Penn State 27, Boise State 24
The Nittany Lions are in a great spot heading into the Fiesta Bowl. They got a huge win over SMU in the first round of the playoff and carry that momentum to face a feisty Boise State team. While Penn State doesn't have the same cachet of the Broncos team in the last 20 years, this is a team that can make waves and earn a trip to the semifinals.
Both running games are likely to be rocking but the key will be which quarterback will make more plays. Right now, I trust Drew Allar to make one or two more plays than Maddux Madsen, and that will be the difference. Make no mistake about it, the Broncos can and will hang with the Nittany Lions. Penn State 27, Boise State 24. – Tyler Forness
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Penn State 34, Boise State 23
Everything Boise State does revolves around Ashton Jeanty, and I don't expect Penn State to shut him down completely. However, the Nittany Lions have the best defense the Broncos have played, and that will affect how efficient Maddux Madsen will be as a passer. One turnover can swing this game, as Penn State has the blocking and playmakers to overwhelm Boise State throughout the course of the full 60 minutes. I expect Penn State to fairly easily get what they want on offense. – Ian Valentino
Penn State 32, Boise State 14
This is going to come down to who stops the run. And I’m not quite sure Boise State has played a run defense quite as good as Penn State. Then when you flip it, Boise has also never played an offense quite like Penn State’s besides maybe Oregon, and at that time the Ducks were struggling, not really hitting their stride yet. I think Penn State is going to be too good in all facets of the game for Boise. – Justin Churchill
We'll be back with more College Football Playoff coverage here at A to Z Sports here soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!
