Dec. 31 (UPI) — Ashton Jeanty wowed throughout 2024 by bouncing off big hits and running defenders out of their shoes, but Penn State plans to corral the Boise State star Tuesday in the first College Football Playoff quarterfinal.
The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions (12-2) are 11.5-point favorites to beat the No. 3 Broncos (12-1). They will face off in the Citrus Bowl at 7:30 p.m. EST at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. The game will air on ESPN.
“Obviously a running back like him, everybody all year long has gone into it with the same plan, and no one’s stopped him,” Nittany Lions coach James Franklin said of Jeanty. “But I think that’s where you’ve got to start.”
The winner will face No. 2 Georgia or No. 7 Notre Dame in the Jan. 9 Orange Bowl, a College Football Playoff semifinal. Tuesday’s Orange Bowl, like several previous College Football Playoff games this postseason, will feature a top offense — Boise State — against one of the nation’s best defenses — Penn State.
Jeanty was among the premiere offensive threats in the country this season, running for 2,497 yards and 29 scores. He needs just 132 more the break Barry Sanders’ season-single collegiate record (2,628 from 1988).
The 5-foot-9 ball carrier often lowers his shoulders while running into defenders, getting closer to the ground to gain the leverage to run through their tackles before exploding back into the open field for long gallops to pay dirt.
“To coach Franklin’s point, it takes a team,” Broncos coach Spencer Danielson said. “Ash will be the first to tell you that. It takes the offensive line, the tight ends. Our receivers, it’s mandatory to block on our team. We’re a run first operation with complements off of it. There’s a lot of pieces that go into the success that Ashton is having.
“Not to take anything away from Ash. There’s been multiple times when 11 guys have a shot at him and don’t get him down, but it definitely takes a team.”
Jeanty totaled 1,889 yards after contact and forced a CPF-era single-season record 143 missed tackles so far in 2024. He totaled at least 127 rushing yards in every game this season. He eclipsed 150 in 10 of his 13 appearances. And he amassed at least 200 rushing yards in six of those games, including his last two.
He’s not real @AshtonJeanty2
FS1#BleedBlue | #BuiltDifferent | #HEI2MAN pic.twitter.com/eRsMYx9DgF— Boise State Football (@BroncoSportsFB) September 29, 2024
“Running the ball, just your mentality is always making the first man miss,” Jeanty said. “Every run play isn’t going to be blocked perfect. Sometimes somebody is going to come free. Sometimes you got to make the linebacker miss, safety.
“Whatever it is, you just got to break tackles. I think all the great running backs, they just have that mentality that the first man isn’t going to tackle them.”
Outside of Jeanty, the Broncos’ offense is led by quarterback Maddux Madsen, who threw 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions this season. Wide receiver Cameron Camper most likely will be his top target, outside of the star running back.
Jayden Virgin-Morgan, Ahmed Hassanein, Seyi Oladipo and Braxton Fely were the Broncos’ top pass rushers on defense so far this season. They helped the Broncos total the second-most sacks per game (3.92) in the country.
Jeanty said he expects stacked boxes from the Nittany Lions, who will lean on Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis Sutton for their pass rush. Defensive tackles Zane Durant and DVon J-Thomas will be among the other defensive lineman first faced with Jeanty.
The Nittany Lions, who allowed the fourth-fewest yards in the nation, also roster three players who logged at least three interceptions in 2024.
They allowed the seventh-fewest rushing yards (100.4) per game, while the Broncos averaged the fifth-most rushing yards (250.5).
“We have two great running backs in the country in Nick [Singleton] and Kaytron [Allen],” Carter said of Penn State’s challenge of limiting Jeanty. “We know how to prepare for this situation.”
On offense, the Nittany Lions are led by one of the nation’s top quarterbacks. Drew Allar completed 68.5% of his throws this season for 3,012 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Tyler Warren, one of the nation’s top tight ends, will likely be his top target. Singleton and Allen will split work out of the backfield.
“At Penn State, we are in these types of games,” Allar said. “That’s why we come to Penn State, to be able to play in games like this. We are not backing down from that challenge or afraid of the challenge ahead of us.
“We embrace it, because this is what we signed up for when we all signed to come here and play football. We want to be in these types of environments and playing these types of games. So there’s no point in really not embracing it. It’s just about sticking to our process and the things that have gotten us to this point this year.”
Jeanty, Carter and Warren are projected first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The College Football Playoff quarterfinal slate will continue Wednesday with three games airing on ESPN.
No. 5 Texas (11-2) will take on No. 4 Arizona State (11-2) in the Peach Bowl at 1 p.m. in Atlanta.
No. 1 Oregon (13-0) will face No. 8 Ohio State (10-2) at 5 p.m. in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
No. 2 Georgia (11-2) will then play No. 7 Notre Dame (11-1) in the Sugar Bowl at 8:45 p.m. in New Orleans.
