Ready for a Fiesta: Lions get familiar bowl berth
Penn State’s win over SMU leads to second-round CFP matchup with Boise State
Penn State players celebrate after their win over SMU in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions will face Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve in the second round of the College Football Playoff. The Associated Press
Penn State fans cheer during the first half of the Nittany Lions’ game against SMU in the first round of the NCAA College Football Playoff Saturday at Beaver Stadium. The Associated Press
Penn State players celebrate after their win over SMU in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions will face Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve in the second round of the College Football Playoff. The Associated Press
Penn State fans cheer during the first half of the Nittany Lions’ game against SMU in the first round of the NCAA College Football Playoff Saturday at Beaver Stadium. The Associated Press
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UNIVERSITY PARK -- The Nittany Lions' next step in the College Football Playoff will take them to a familiar place.
Moments after Penn State's 38-10 victory over SMU was completed Saturday at Beaver Stadium, Fiesta Bowl officials, dressed in their yellow blazers, presented James Franklin with a commemorative football.
The Lions, now 12-2, will play Boise State (12-1) at 7:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on Tuesday, Dec. 31, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, in the CFP quarterfinals.
Boise is ranked No. 3 by the CFP and drew a bye into the quarterfinals. PSU is ranked No. 6.
Penn State is unbeaten in the Fiesta Bowl with a 7-0 record, dating back to 1977 and including the 14-10 win over Miami in 1986 for the national championship.
The Lions' most recent appearance was a victory over Washington in the 2017 game.
"Penn State has won our game more than anyone else," Fiesta Sports Foundation Executive Director and CEO Erik Moses said.
"We expect their fans to act accordingly and come out to the valley and soak up some of our sunshine."
Boise State is also unbeaten in the Fiesta Bowl with a 3-0 record with wins in 2007, 2010 and 2014.
"It is fitting that we have two schools in Boise State and Penn State that have rich histories and have never lost in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl," Moses said.
The Broncos are the champions of the Mountain West Conference.
Boise is led by running back Ashton Jeanty, who finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting to Colorado's Travis Hunter.
Jeanty's 2,497 yards rushing is the fourth-most in FBS single-season history, and he needs 132 yards to break Barry Sanders' all-time record (2,628) set in 1988.
Penn State is led by tight end Tyler Warren, who finished seventh in the Heisman voting, and fellow All-American defensive end Abdul Carter, the Big Ten's defensive player of the year.
ESPN will televise the Fiesta Bowl.
The Lions have already been installed as a 10.5-point favorite.