Penn State handled business in the first round of the College Football Playoff. The Nittany Lions dominated, forcing 3 turnovers and holding the Mustangs for 10 points.

The SMU offense consistently killed any momentum they built due to turnovers and failure to convert on 3rd downs. The Nittany Lions had 2 pick-6s and SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings never looked comfortable in the raucous environment.

Drew Allar didn’t light up the stat sheet, but he did avoid making big mistakes. The Nittany Lions’ ground game excelled, racking up 180 yards on the day. It was an all-around effort from the Nittany Lions and their fans, and now sights are set on the Broncos.

Boise State received a first-round bye as the No. 3 seed. Now, the Nittany Lions will head west to take the Broncos on at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, AZ.

The Broncos are led by star running back Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty finished 2nd in Heisman voting and easily led the country with 2,497 rushing yards. Jeanty’s 2024 season is one of the best RB seasons in college football history, so the Nittany Lions will undoubtedly focus on limiting the star’s impact.

The Nittany Lions, meanwhile, don’t rely on 1 star player necessarily. Instead, the Nittany Lions boast a top-15 total defense and offense. Tight end Tyler Warren has been the most dynamic playmaker, leading the team with 88 catches for 1,062 yards and 6 TDs during the regular season.

One factor going against the Nittany Lions is the team’s struggles against AP top-10 teams. James Franklin is just 3-24 against AP top-10 teams in his career, and Boise State finished No. 8 in the final AP Poll.

These teams will kick off from the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve at 7:30 p.m.