The Penn State Nittany Lions are the first team in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
No. 6 seed Penn State defeated No. 3 Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday night at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, 31-14, to earn a berth in the Orange Bowl CFP semifinal on Thursday, Jan. 9, where it will play the winner of Wednesday’s Sugar Bowl game between No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 2 Georgia.
Penn State never trailed against Boise State, building a 14-0 lead in the first quarter before taking a 17-7 lead into the half.
Boise State drew within 17-14 in the third quarter, but didn’t score again.
Drew Allar shined for Penn State, finishing 13-for-25 for 171 yards, with three touchdown passes, two of which went to Tyler Warren, who had six catches for 63 yards.
The running game also stood out for the Nittany Lions. Kaytron Allen had 17 carries for 135 yards. Nicholas Singleton had 12 carries for 87 yards and a touchdown.
Maddux Madsen went 23-for-35 for 304 yards and a touchdown pass for Boise State, but had three passes intercepted.
Ashton Jeanty finished with 30 carries for 104 yards, but a lot of the yards came late.
Matt Lauter had four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown for Boise State.
Look back at how the Penn State vs Boise State College Football Playoff game went down with our Fiesta Bowl score updates below.
College Football Playoff picks: Texas vs Arizona State | Ohio State vs Oregon | Notre Dame vs Georgia | The Arizona Republic’s CFP predictions | Win probabilities
This game is over.
Penn State has won the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, 31-14, punching its ticket into the College Football Playoff semifinals.
The Nittany Lions intercepted Maddux Madsen in the end zone with 18 seconds left to complete the victory.
Final score: Penn State 31, Boise State 14
College Football Playoff schedule: Arizona State vs Texas | Oregon vs Ohio State | Georgia vs Notre Dame | CFP game times, TV channels | CFP announcers
Penn State punted the ball back to Boise State after going 3-and-out, but Boise State had to use its timeouts to preserve time in the game.
There is 2:50 left.
The Nittany Lions just intercepted Maddux Madsen again to regain possession in the Fiesta Bowl.
Zion Tracy had the pick at the Boise State 47.
There is 3:31 left in the fourth quarter.
The Nittany Lions are starting to celebrate in Glendale, Arizona.
Nicholas Singleton just ran for 58 yards up the middle of the field to cap off a 7-play, 79-yard drive for Penn State and give the Nittany Lions a 31-14 lead.
They took 4:26 off the clock in the scoring drive.
Penn State is 4:54 away from making the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Score: Penn State 31, Boise State 14 (4:54 left in fourth quarter)
Boise State has had chances in this game against Penn State.
But it hasn’t taken advantage of them.
Jonah Dalmas just missed a 38-yard field goal, his second miss of the night, as the Broncos came up empty against Penn State after a 12-play, 55-yard drive that took 4:12 off the clock.
The clock is starting to become a factor in this game. There is 9:20 left in the fourth quarter.
Ashton Jeanty had a 26-yard run on 3rd & 21 at the Boise State 13 to keep Boise State’s drive alive and now has 24 carries for 96 yards in the game, but the Broncos could be running out of time.
Penn State just went 3-and-out again after the Maddux Madsen interception, interestingly choosing to pass the ball on 3rd & 1 at the PSU 35, with Drew Allar’s pass falling incomplete.
Still, the way Penn State’s defense is playing, the Nittany Lions might not need to score again to win this game.
Boise State had an impressive drive doing against Penn State. And then it all fell apart.
Maddux Madsen was picked off by Penn State’s Zakee Wheatley at the Penn State 8, ending a scoring threat for the Broncos.
The Broncos had a personal foul hands to the face penalty negate a 20-yard touchdown pass from Maddux Madsen to Prince Strachan on the drive, turning a potential score into a 2nd & 24 at the Penn State 35. Then Maddux threw the interception on a third & 25 play of the possession.
It was a 7:34 drive for Boise State that ended with no points for the Broncos. Boise State’s drive went for 39 yards over 13 plays.
The Nittany Lions have answered the Broncos with a touchdown drive of their own.
Tyler Warren caught a 13-yard touchdown pass from Drew Allar to cap off an 11-play, 75 yard drive and put Penn State back ahead by 10 points.
It is Warren’s second touchdown catch of the night.
He has six catches for 63 yards in the game.
Allar is now 12-for-23 for 162 yards, with three touchdown passes in the game.
Score: Penn State 24, Boise State 14 (7:22 left in third quarter)
Well, that was the start to the second half that Boise State needed.
Maddux Madsen connected with a wide-open Matt Lauter on a 53-yard touchdown pass to pull the Broncos within 17-14 at State Farm Stadium.
Madsen also completed two 17-yard passes on the drive, as Boise State had success with play action.
Score: Penn State 17, Boise State 14 (11:38 left in third quarter)
This game has had several 3-and-outs. Penn State just added to that total, going 3-and-out on its first possession of the second half.
Drew Allar’s third-down pass went off the hands of Tyler Warren, ending the drive for the Nittany Lions.
Both teams have been called for several penalties in this game, but social media was abuzz about one potential penalty that wasn’t called on Penn State in the first half.
On one play, a Drew Allar pass went well beyond Omari Evans and appeared like it was headed into the arms of Boise State defender Ty Benefield, before Benefield was pushed in the back, causing him to stumble and miss the potential interception.
Should offensive pass interference have been called? Social media certainly had thoughts.
Here’s some key numbers from the first half of the Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff game between Penn State and Boise State, where the Nittany Lions hold a 17-7 lead on the Broncos.
Penn State’s Drew Allar is 10-for-17 passing for 144 yards, with two touchdown passes and a lost fumble.
Kaytron Allen has 10 carries for 76 yards. Omari Evans has two catches for 55 yards and a touchdown. Tyler Warren has four catches for 24 yards and a score.
Maddux Madsen is 8-for-12 for 99 yards for Boise State.
Ashton Jeanty has 13 carries for 39 yards and a lost fumble. Boise State had a season-low 48 rushing yards in the first half.
Penn State is 1-for-6 on third down, while Boise State is 2-for-7. Penn State has a 221-147 advantage in total yards, while Boise State has a 14:29 to 14:31 advantage in time of possession.
The Nittany Lions were penalized four times for 35 yards; the Broncos were called for five penalties for 40 yards.
Each team has a turnover in the game.
Penn State has a 17-7 lead on Boise State after Ryan Barker hit a 40-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter, capping a 9-play, 41-yard drive.
Penn State went for it on 4th & 12 at the Boise 38-yard line earlier in the possession and got the first down on a pass interference call on Davon Banks, extending the drive.
Penn State will get the ball to start the third quarter.
Score: Penn State 17, Boise State 7 (halftime)
The Broncos had to punt after three plays again in the Fiesta Bowl late in the first half, with a false start penalty on second down really hurting Boise State.
Penn State will have a little over a minute to work with late in the half, and it gets the ball to start the second half, so this final minute of the second quarter could prove pivotal.
Penn State punted the ball after a 7-play, 16-yard drive that featured two penalties on the offense, giving Boise State the ball back with 1:45 left in the second quarter for a chance to try to tie this game before the half.
If they could somehow do that, it would be quite the feat after it appeared like Penn State was going to dominate this game in the first quarter.
So much for momentum for Boise State.
The Broncos just went 3-and-out, with Maddux Madsen throwing incomplete passes on first and third down and Ashton Jeanty running for two yards on second down.
This is definitely not what Jeanty, and Boise State, is used to this season. He has 12 carries for 37 yards, with two fumbles (one lost) in this game.
Now its Boise State that is bringing some pressure on the opposing QB in the Fiesta Bowl.
The Broncos forced a Penn State punt after a 5-play, 3-yard drive for the Nittany Lions, with the key play being a sack of Drew Allar by Ahmed Hassanein for a loss of 12 yards.
It was a huge stop for Boise State, who has some momentum in this game.
Well, that was what Boise State needed.
The Broncos are on the scoreboard after going 52 yards over eight plays, scoring a touchdown on an 8-yard run from Tyler Crowe.
Ashton Jeanty fumbled the ball again for Boise State on this drive, but Roger Carreon recovered it for the Broncos, allowing Boise State to continue to drive.
The drive took 4:21 off the clock.
Score: Penn State 14, Boise State 7 (8:41 left in second quarter)
The Boise State defense stepped up to force Penn State to punt after gaining seven yards on three plays.
The Nittany Lions tried some trickery on the third-down play, with a lateral to Allar, who then threw an incomplete pass.
There is 13:02 left in the second quarter. Penn State has a 151-79 lead in total yards and a 14-0 lead on the scoreboard in Glendale, Arizona.
Boise State wasn’t able to capitalize on the turnover from Penn State and only gained 13 yards on four plays on its next possession.
Ashton Jeanty and the Broncos’ offense are having a tough time moving the ball against Penn State’s defense.
Jeanty has eight carries for 20 yards. Boise State has 79 total yards in the game.
Boise State got the stop it desperately needed, recovering a Drew Allar fumble on Penn State’s second play of its possession.
Allar appeared to have a miscommunication with a running back, resulting in the fumble, which Seyi Oladipo recovered.
Now, can Boise State capitalize on the turnover?
Just when it looked like Ashton Jeanty might start becoming a factor, Penn State forced the running back to fumble, giving the ball back to the Nittany Lions.
Jeanty ran for 12 yards and then seven yards, but fumbled it on the 7-yard gain, with Penn State’s Zakee Wheatley recovering it.
Boise State really needs a stop now.
Two possession, two Drew Allar touchdown passes.
Penn State just extended its lead to 14-0 on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Allar to Omari Evans, capping a 4-play, 56-yard drive that took 1:21 off the clock.
Allar is now 3-for-4 for 55 yards and two touchdowns in this game.
The Nittany Lions’ running game is setting up the pass. They have rushed for 73 yards on nine carries in this game.
Score: Penn State 14, Boise State 0 (3:35 left in first quarter)
This is not the start Boise State wanted against Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl.
The Broncos just went 3-and-out on their second possession, losing 12 yards.
Penn State is loading the box to contain Ashton Jeanty and it is working. He has four carries for two yards in this game.
The Nittany Lions are also bringing pressure, not giving Maddux Madsen much time to pass. He was sacked for a loss of five yards on the drive.
Now it falls on the Boise State defense to try to get a stop against Penn State.
The Nittany Lions have a 7-0 lead on the Broncos in the Fiesta Bowl after an impressive first drive against Boise State at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
Penn State drove 72 yards over nine plays, taking 4:01 off the clock, taking the lead on an 11-yard pass from Drew Allar to Tyler Warren.
Penn State did most of its damage on the drive on the ground, rushing for 55 yards on six carries, including a 23-yarder from Kaytron Allen.
Score: Penn State 7, Boise State 0 (6:40 left in first quarter)
Penn State won the coin toss and elected to defer until the second half, kicking off to Boise State.
The Broncos’ first drive started off as a promising one, but it stalled at the Penn State 28-yard line, with Boise State deciding to attempt a 45-yard field goal on a 4th & 2.
Jonah Dalmas missed the field goal, missing a chance to give Boise State an early lead in the Fiesta Bowl at the end of an 8-play, 47-yard drive that took 4:19 off the clock.
Ashton Jeanty had three carries for four yards on the possession.
Maddux Madsen was 3-for-3 passing for 41 yards, but Penn State’s defense held.
Ashton Jeanty has rushed for 2,497 yards this season. He was the Heisman Trophy runner up.
If Boise State is going to have a chance to upset Penn State, he’s going to have to have a big game against the Nittany Lions.
How big of a game? We have no idea. But the Broncos running back is 132 rushing yards behind Barry Sanders’ record for rushing yards in a single season in college football. It might take something historic for Boise State to make history.
The Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff game between Penn State and Boise State can be seen at 5:30 p.m. MST (7:30 p.m. ET) on Dec. 31 on ESPN.
Fiesta Bowl schedule, TV channel:How to watch Penn State vs Boise State CFP game Tuesday
The Penn State vs Boise State Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff game can be streamed on FUBO and on other streaming services that carry ESPN.
College Football Playoff schedule:Times, dates, how to watch CFP quarterfinal games on TV
Bob Wischusen will have the play-by-play call of the Fiesta Bowl, with Louis Riddick as the analyst for the College Football Playoff game.
College Football Playoff announcers:TV broadcasters, announcing crews for quarterfinals
Penn State is an 11-point favorite over Boise State in College Football Playoff odds for the game, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
The Nittany Lions are -450 on the moneyline. The Broncos are +350.
The over/under for the game is set at 54.5 points.
College Football Playoff odds:Penn State, Texas, Ohio State, Georgia favored in 2nd round
The Arizona Republic is predicting a 35-20 win for Penn State over Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Other sites also lean toward the Nittany Lions to defeat the Broncos in today’s CFP game.
College Football Playoff picks:Arizona State over Texas among quarterfinal round upsets?
Fiesta Bowl picks, predictions:Will Boise State or Penn State win College Football Playoff game?
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Boise State’s Maddux ‘Mad Dog’ Madsen is an unsung hero heading into Vrbo Fiesta Bowl
‘A treat for anybody’: Penn State preps for Boise State star Ashton Jeanty in Fiesta Bowl
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Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty targets Barry Sanders’ record as Penn State awaits
Fiesta Bowl: Heavy favorite Penn State vows to not look beyond Boise State
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