After a lopsided first round of College Football Playoff games, the quarterfinals are about to begin. Penn State and Boise State will kick off the action in the Fiesta Bowl. The Nittany Lions breezed past No. 11 SMU, 38-10, in the first round of the playoff. The Broncos had a bye and have not played since December 6. Both teams are undefeated in the Fiesta Bowl entering the matchup.
Keep reading for how to watch Tuesday’s game, a preview, players to watch, betting odds and the head-to-head record between the two teams.
How to watch Penn State vs. Boise State College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup
No. 3 seed Boise State will face sixth-seeded Penn State in the quarterfinal of the Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday, December 31 at 7:30 p.m. EST.
· Date: Tuesday, December 31st, 2024
· Time: 7:30 PM EST
· Site: State Farm Stadium
· City: Glendale, AZ
· TV/Streaming: ESPN
Penn State vs. Boise State preview
Penn State finished the regular season with a 12-2 overall record, falling short to only top-seeded Oregon and Ohio State. When the Buckeyes fell surprisingly short to Michigan in the final week of the regular season, the Nittany Lions clinched a spot in the Big Ten Championship game. Penn State lost to Oregon, 45-37, but put up a strong fight throughout that had doubters believing the Nittany Lions were a force to be reckoned with despite not recording a statement win this past season.
Boise State, meanwhile, captured the attention of the College Football world when they fell just short to Oregon, 37-34, in a thriller at Autzen Stadium. After that loss to the Ducks, Boise State won every remaining game on its schedule and boast a 12-1 overall record. The Broncos have not lost a game since September 7, including a dominating 21-7 victory over UNLV in the Mountain West Championship. The Broncos will be making their inaugural appearance in the College Football Playoff.
The Nittany Lions are double-digit favorites to win this matchup. Many have already counted the Broncos out but head coach Spencer Danielson is embracing the underdog mentality. During media availability, he asked those outside of the program to “please count us out” ahead of kickoff.
There were no major upsets in the first round of the College Football Playoff — could a Boise State win over Penn State be the first?
2024-25 College Football Playoff schedule: List of matchups, dates, times, and TV channels
Penn State vs. Boise State players to watch
Penn State
- QB Drew Allar: Allar has been a consistent forcer under center. During the season, Allar passed for over 3,000 yards with a three-to-one touchdown to interception ratio. Mobility in the pocket will be key as he faces a Boise State defensive line that is ranked second in the country in sacks.
- RBs Nicolas Singleton and Kaytron Allen: Penn State splits reps between the two RBs and both are still pushing 1,000 yards each this season. Singleton has 928 yards in 145 attempts for 13 touchdowns while Allen has recorded 892 yards in 184 attempts for 10 touchdowns.
- TE Tyler Warren: Warren can do it all. He is a fifth-year senior and the Nittany Lions’ best offensive weapon this season, leading the team in receptions (92) and receiving yards (1,095). He has even contributed as a quarterback and running back at times. Warren finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting, which is one of the highest finishes for a tight end in recent history.
- DL Abdul Carter: Led the Big Ten with 22 tackles for loss and 11 sacks this season. Carter is at the top of many 2025 NFL Draft mock drafts.
- DB Jaylen Reed: A big-difference maker for Penn State on defense, racking up 43 tackles (solo), five tackles for loss and three interceptions.
2024-25 College Football Playoff full bracket and scores, schedule, matchups
Boise State
- RB Ashton Jeanty: Heisman Trophy runner-up Jeanty has played a crucial role in Boise State’s success this past season. He put together one of the most productive seasons in college football history, rushing for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns. His rushing total is the second-highest regular-season total in FBS history, behind only 1988 Heisman winner Barry Sanders. With consistent dominance, Jeanty rushed for 125 yards or more in 13 straight games. Jeanty lost the Heisman Trophy to Colorado’s Travis Hunter by just 214 votes.
- QB Maddux Madsen: A consistent presence for the Broncos under center. Madsen finished the season 224 of 261 for 2,714 yards a conference-leading 22 touchdowns with only three interceptions. He also led the Mountain West in adjusted yards gained per pass attempt this season with 8.36.
- DL Ahmed Hassanein: While Hassanein’s numbers dropped slightly in 2024, he is an important member of the Broncos defense. He posted 13 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. Hassanein also drew double teams to help the Broncos clear 50 sacks as a team, which ranked No. 2 nationally.
- OL Kage Casey is one of the best offensive linemen in the country, earning a Pro Football Focus grade of 85.0 that ranks fourth among FBS tackles who have played over 700 snaps. The redshirt sophomore has not allowed a sack all season.
Penn State vs. Boise State odds
*odds courtesy of BetMGM
- Moneyline: Penn State (-450), Boise State (+340)
- Spread: Penn State -11.5
- Over/Under: 52.5 points
Penn State vs. Boise State head-to-head record
Penn State and Boise State will meet for the first time ever in the Fiesta Bowl.
Both teams have successful histories at this specific bowl game though.
Penn State is 7-0 in the Fiesta Bowl in its history. No team has won more games at one bowl game than Penn State has at the Fiesta Bowl. Boise State is 3-0 all-time at the Fiesta Bowl.
The winner of the quarterfinal matchup will face the winner of Notre Dame-Georgia.
