Who Penn State will play after the SMU win

A College Football Playoff field that started with 12 teams has been reduced to 10.

No. 6 Penn State defeated No. 11 SMU with a 38-10 win in the CFP first round on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. With its first-ever playoff win, Penn State not only tied its record for most wins in a single season at 12, but also improved its overall record to 12-8 in white-out games.

The Nittany Lions will now advance to the Fiesta Bowl against No. 3 Boise State on New Year’s Eve at 7:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

Required reading:Final result SMU vs. Penn State: College Football Playoff result, highlights, analysis of the Nittany Lions win

Winning a College Football Playoff game – or any postseason game – is an important accomplishment in itself. But Penn State’s win over SMU on Saturday likely means more for the Nittany Lions, who have struggled to win big games under James Franklin. Saturday’s win against the Mustangs was also Franklin’s 100th career win at Penn State and improved his overall record with the Nittany Lions to 100-41.

Penn State linebacker Dominic DeLuca was in the right place and time for the Nittany Lions defense all afternoon. The walk-on-turned-scholarship player had a career afternoon against the SMU offense, as he beat the Mustangs’ quarterback twice – including a pick-6 in the first quarter. In addition to his two interceptions, DeLuca added three tackles and half a sack.

Here’s everything you need to know about who Penn State will face next in the CFP quarterfinals, including a complete look at the CFP schedule

Who will Penn State play in the CFP quarterfinals?

Penn State will face No. 3 Boise State on Dec. 31 in the Fiesta Bowl, one of four CFP quarterfinals this season.

The Broncos, who earned one of four first-round byes after winning the Mountain West championship, are led by Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty. The Broncos running back had a historic season in his final year at Boise State and is 131 rushing yards away from breaking Barry Sanders’ NCAA single-season rushing record.

It will be interesting to see if Jeanty can match or break Sanders’ Fiesta Bowl record against the Nittany Lions’ defense, which entered Saturday’s CFP game with the No. 9 rushing defense in the country.

The Fiesta Bowl marks the first meeting between Penn State and Boise State.

Required reading:Do CFP first round games count as bowl games in the record book? Depends on who you ask

College football playoff schedule

Always east

Friday, December 20th

No. 7 Notre Dame 27, No. 10 Indiana 17

Saturday December 21st

No. 6 Penn State 38, No. 11 SMU 10
No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas | 4 p.m. ET
No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State | 8pm ET

Required reading:Why are first-round college football playoff games held on campus? Explaining the 12-team CFP format

CFP quarterfinals

Tuesday, December 31st

Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 6 Penn State | 7:30 p.m. ET

Wednesday, January 1st

Peach peel: No. 4 Arizona vs. winner of No. 12 Clemson-No. 5Texas | 1 p.m. ET
Rose bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. winner of No. 9 Tennessee-No. 8 Ohio State | 5:00 p.m. ET
Sugar bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7 Notre Dame | 8:45 p.m

Buy CFP Quarterfinals tickets at SeatGeek

CFP semifinals

Thursday, January 9th

Orange peel: Sugar Bowl Winners vs. Fiesta Bowl Winners | 7:30 p.m. ET

Friday, January 10th

Cotton cup: Rose Bowl Winners vs. Peach Bowl Winners | 7:30 p.m. ET

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Who Penn State will play after the SMU win

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