SCOTTSDALE, AZ (December 21, 2024) – With a 38-10 victory in the first round of the College Football Playoff, No. 6 Penn State punched its ticket to the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Tuesday, December 31, 2024 . No. 3 seed Boise State awaits Penn State at its 5:30 p.m. kickoff in the 54th edition of the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium.

The first-ever College Football Playoff quarterfinals will air live on ESPN and its digital platforms. Tickets and premium seating options are available at fiestabowl.org/tickets or by email at [email protected]. Fans have two pregame options, including the free all-ages Fan Fest Pregame Party or the Premium Club ’71 Pregame Party, with both pregame parties beginning at 12:30 p.m

“In the historic first-ever CFP quarterfinals, it is fitting that we have two schools in Boise State and Penn State that have a long history and have never lost in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl,” said Erik Moses, Executive Director and CEO of Fiesta Sports Foundation. “We are excited to host and begin the next step in this year’s playoff journey with two teams responsible for some of the most memorable games in college football history at the Fiesta Bowl. These are complete football teams with passionate fan bases. College.” Football fans are in for a New Year’s Eve treat in the next step toward the CFP National Championship, where two highly motivated, strong teams compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals.”

The Nittany Lions (12-2), making their eighth-ever Vrbo Fiesta Bowl appearance, advanced to the College Football Playoff with a first-round home win over No. 11 SMU. Penn State stifled SMU, allowing 253 offensive yards and recording three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. Dominic DeLuca was responsible for two of the Nittany Lions’ three interceptions, including the first pick-6 that put Penn State on the board first.

Penn State pulled away early and led 28-0 at halftime. Complementing a strong defensive performance, Penn State was effective on the ground, with Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen combining for 160 yards rushing and all three of Penn State’s offensive touchdowns.

The New Year’s Eve showdown will bring together two of the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl’s most storied schools, both with deep roots in the bowl’s history. Penn State (7-0) and Boise State (3-0) are two of three schools with unblemished Fiesta Bowl records with at least three appearances.

Penn State’s seven Fiesta Bowl victories are the most of any school, and the Nittany Lions are returning to the Valley of the Sun for the first time since a 35-28 victory over Washington in 2017. Penn State soundly defeated Miami 14-10 in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl, which also served as the national championship game.

Boise State claimed all three of its previous Fiesta Bowl victories over a nine-season span, beginning with the dramatic 43-42 overtime victory over Oklahoma in 2007 – one of the most memorable games in college football history. Boise State then defeated TCU in 2010 and Arizona in 2014.

One of the best offenses in the country will face one of the toughest defenses in the country in the CFP quarterfinals at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl. Boise State (12-1) is fourth in scoring offense (39.1), fifth in total offense (250.5) and sixth in total offense (470.2). Across the board, Penn State battles strength against strength, ranking in the top 10 in scoring defense (15.9), rush defense (100.4) and total defense (280.0).

Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, winner of the Doak Walker Award and Maxwell Award, leads the Broncos to Arizona. The Heisman Trophy runner-up and the Broncos’ first unanimous All-American is ranked No. 1 in the country with 2,613 all-purpose yards and 30 total touchdowns. His 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.

Abdul Carter, a unanimous All-American himself, is one of college football’s best pass rushers and is at the forefront of Penn State’s defense. Carter’s 11 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss rank among the top 10 in the country, with him ranking second in the latter. Carter was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Lombardi Award.

“The energy and enthusiasm at Beaver Stadium is electric! We have seen Penn State’s passionate fan base come out to support the Nittany Lions,” said Judy Bernas, Fiesta Sports Foundation board chair. “The Boise State fan base has been shopping and planning the trip to Arizona for two weeks to give us an exciting atmosphere. On behalf of the Board of Directors, our dedicated Yellow Jacket Committee members, and the countless volunteers and staff of the Fiesta Sports Foundation, we are pleased to welcome the student-athletes, coaches, families and fans of both universities. We can’t wait for the CFP quarterfinals at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.

Boise State and Penn State reached the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff behind talent on both sides of the ball.

The Broncos, the Mountain West Conference champions, rank second in the country with 51 sacks, with all-conference performers Jayden Virgin-Morgan and Ahmed Hassanein combining for 18.5 sacks. The Nittany Lions boast a top-20 rushing offense and feature Mackey Award winner Tyler Warren. Warren leads Penn State with 92 receptions and 1,095 receiving yards, the latter of which is a Big Ten single-season record for the tight end.

The Vrbo Fiesta Bowl will not only host the first-ever CFP quarterfinals, but also the first-ever meeting between Boise State and Penn State.

Boise State is led by head coach Spencer Danielson, the Mountain West Coach of the Year, in his first full season at the helm. James Franklin, fresh from his 100th win as Penn State head coach against SMU, is completing his 11th season in Happy Valley.

ABOUT THE FIESTA SPORTS FOUNDATION
Since 1971, the Fiesta Sports Foundation has been a premier community organization that delivers innovative experiences, drives economic growth and charitable causes, instilling pride in all Arizonans during and beyond the College Football Bowl season. As a nonprofit organization, it is driven by its vision of the importance of community outreach and service. Through the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, the Rate Bowl and its year-round events, such as the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl Parade presented by Lerner & Rowe, corporate partnerships and numerous community events throughout the year, the organization makes charitable donations to support Arizona nonprofit communities through Youth, sport and education.