Penn State vs. Boise State: A Gridiron Legacy Forged in the Fiesta Bowl

Penn State and Boise State, two college football programs with rich traditions, are set to clash in the Fiesta Bowl, a familiar battleground where both teams have etched their names in the sport's history. This article delves into the intertwined narratives of these two powerhouses and their respective legacies in the prestigious bowl game.

Boise State Broncos: A History of Defying Expectations

The Boise State Broncos, representing Boise State University, have been a force to reckon with in college football, particularly since joining the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in 1996. As members of the Mountain West Conference, the Broncos have consistently challenged the established order, earning a reputation for innovation and resilience.

Bowl Game Prowess

Since the establishment of the team in 1932, Boise State has appeared in 23 bowl games. The Broncos have showcased their talent in nine different bowl games, including multiple appearances in the Maaco Bowl Las Vegas/Las Vegas Bowl (5), the Humanitarian/MPC Computers Bowl (4), the Fiesta Bowl (4), the Hawaii Bowl (2), and the Poinsettia Bowl (2).

Notably, during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, Boise State stood out as the only school from a non-automatic qualifying conference to receive an at-large bid into a BCS game, underscoring their ability to compete at the highest level.

Fiesta Bowl Triumphs

Boise State naturally takes pride in its Fiesta Bowl heritage. The Broncos have been an FBS program for not quite three decades, but they have been to one of the grandest of the bowl games, the Fiesta, three times - and have won all three. All three of those trophies sit in the Bleymaier Football Center at Albertsons Stadium. Adding a fourth would be a significant step forward for a program that has re-emerged on the national stage.

The Broncos won their three Fiesta Bowls between 2007 and 2014. The first of those was a classic: a 43-42 overtime victory over the Adrian Peterson-led Oklahoma Sooners in 2007 that is considered one of the greatest college football games of the past 25 years. The Broncos’ other Fiesta Bowls were a 17-10 win over TCU in 2010 and a 38-30 victory over Arizona in 2014. Boise State remains the last non-Power 5 conference team to win the Fiesta Bowl.

The Broncos will have a big piece of that tradition on display in the game: the uniform combination they’ve had in every Fiesta Bowl victory. That consists of a blue helmet, white jerseys and orange pants.

Penn State Nittany Lions: A Legacy of Excellence

The Nittany Lions have an impressive Fiesta Bowl legacy as well. They have been to the game seven times and won all seven. No team has won more - Ohio State and Arizona State each won five. Penn State won its first Fiesta Bowl in 1977, defeating Arizona State 42-30 in the Sun Devils’ own stadium, where the game used to be played. Since then, the Nittany Lions emerged victorious in 1980, ‘82, ‘87, ‘92, ‘97 and 2017 - when they defeated Chris Petersen’s Washington team 35-28.

Dominance in the Desert

Penn State's history with the Fiesta Bowl goes all the way back to 1977, when the Nittany Lions defeated Arizona State 42-30 on Christmas Day to cap off an 11-1 season in Joe Paterno’s 12th season at the helm in Happy Valley. Most recently, Penn State played in the game in 2017, when it topped Washington 35-28, a victory in which Trace McSorley threw for 342 yards and Saquon Barkley ran for 137 yards and two touchdowns.

The Nittany Lions have made the most of their trips to Arizona, going 7-0 in their Fiesta Bowl history:

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1977: Penn State 42, Arizona State 30
1980: Penn State 31, Ohio State 19
1982: Penn State 26, USC 10
1987: Penn State 14, Miami 10
1992: Penn State 42, Tennessee 17
1997: Penn State 38, Texas 15
2017: Penn State 35, Washington 28

A Clash of Titans in the Desert

For both programs, the game will take place at a familiar site. Penn State and Boise State’s playoff quarterfinal matchup will happen in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The Nittany Lions and Broncos have played prominent parts in the bowl’s history, having competed in some of its most iconic games and produced some of its most memorable moments.

On New Year’s Day in 1987, Penn State secured an improbable national championship by beating a heavily favored and previously undefeated Miami team, with Heisman Trophy winner Vinny Testaverde throwing five interceptions. Twenty years later, Boise State notched a different kind of upset, defeating Oklahoma in the same game, albeit in a much different and far more explosive fashion.

Game dynamics

In the first year of the expanded College Football Playoff, No. 3 seed Boise State (12-1) will take on No. 6 Penn State (12-2) in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve, which is one of the quarterfinal games.

Penn State advanced to its first-ever College Football Playoff semifinal with a 31-14 victory over Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday. Penn State raced to an early 14-0 lead behind a pair of Drew Allar touchdown passes, including a deep strike to Omari Evans. Boise State fought back, drawing within three points in the third quarter after tight end Matt Lauter’s 53-yard score. Tyler Warren hauled in two touchdown receptions, setting a new single-season receptions mark for the Nittany Lions, and running back Nick Singleton iced the game with a 58-yard touchdown scamper in the fourth quarter.

Key moments

Penn State intercepts Maddux Madsen on fourth down, taking over deep in Boise State territory. With under four minutes left, the Nittany Lions are set to secure their first-ever trip to the College Football Playoff semifinals.

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Nick Singleton bursts for a 58-yard touchdown run, pushing Penn State’s lead to 31-14 with under five minutes left. Ashton Jeanty’s 26-yard run sparked hope, but the Broncos’ field goal sails wide right for their second miss. Penn State still leads 24-14 in the fourth quarter.

A potential Boise State touchdown was nullified by a penalty, and then QB Maddux Madsen followed the mess-up with a costly interception on third-and-25. Penn State retains a 24-14 lead and takes over near midfield early in the fourth quarter.

Tyler Warren’s third quarter touchdown gave him 98 catches for the season, surpassing Allen Robinson’s record. Boise State tallies a fourth sack on Drew Allar, but the Nittany Lions QB responds with a clutch 15-yard scramble and a touchdown pass to Tyler Warren.

Penn State capped the second quarter by tacking on a 40-yard Ryan Barker field goal, despite Boise State’s claims of a missed false start. Boise State capitalizes in the red zone with a surprise fullback touchdown, cutting Penn State’s lead to 14-7.

Ashton Jeanty’s big gain ended in a costly turnover, but the Broncos caught a break when Drew Allar fumbled on the next play. Penn State races to a 14-0 lead behind Drew Allar’s deep dart to Omari Evans and a dominant showing from their 2022 recruiting class. Tyler Warren’s first quarter touchdown ties a career-high for the senior tight end, and the Nittany Lions look in control. Kaytron Allen sets up Drew Allar’s touchdown pass to Tyler Warren, putting Penn State ahead 7-0. Boise State’s 45-yard field goal goes wide on fourth-and-2, keeping the score tied 0-0.

Individual performances

Everywhere that Ashton Jeanty turned, he ran into Nittany Lions. The AP first-team All-America selection finished with a season-low 104 yards on 30 carries, just 3.5 yards per carry - half his season averaged. With Jeanty surrounded on nearly every play, Boise State turned to Tyler Crowe and the fullback took several Nittany Lions with him for an 8-yard touchdown run that cut Penn State’s lead in half. The Nittany Lions ran for 216 yards, including 134 by Kaytron Allen and 87 by Singleton. Drew Allar threw three touchdown passes.

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