Sports
Why Penn State Football made a big CFP move in the win over Boise State
GLENDALE, Ariz. Much of this Penn State Football Fiesta Bowl locker room was a back-slapping, photo-posing, cigar-smoking party deep in this desert night.
The Nittany Lionsindeed, had just booked their spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals, winning for a school-record 13th time.
They earned their shot against another big opponent next week on a big stage in South Florida to keep their chances of winning their first national title in 38 years alive.
And some of the guys most responsible for making this happen sat quietly behind their lockers in the room, taking it all in.
Not only did the Lions have to acquire the nation's most productive running back, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, but they also had to do it without the services of their best defenseman.
They had to prevent a confident, ruthless Boise State from turning a suddenly tight, boring game into a potential upset and the end of their season.
It would be up to Penn State's defensive line, without injured All-American Abdul Carter, to pull off this eventual 31-14 victory over Boise State on New Year's Eve in the biggest game of their longest season.
And so they ultimately proved themselves when things started to go sideways, as they did so many times earlier this season.
Gave themselves another reason why maybe they could find all the answers they needed at that moment to finally play for a national title again.
Defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton took care of that, for starters. He wrapped up Boise superstar Ashton Jeanty and threw him to the ground on the first play of the game. He would do it again shortly afterwards, to set the tone.
Then came backup Amin Vanover. He would fill in for Carter, who left the game early in the second quarter due to an arm or shoulder injury and never returned.
Then senior defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas came up the middle. And those backside linebackers. And then those protections.
Losing perhaps the best pass rusher in the country in your biggest game? Have you lost all your feel-good momentum with almost three quarters to play?
Penn State's defense regrouped and responded in a way never before accomplished this season.
Just like the offense did when it rallied on fourth-down passes at USC in early October. And with their backup quarterback in Wisconsin a few weeks later. And with three fourth-down conversions on Minnesota's final drive a month after that.
Penn State football: Standing up for the injured Abdul Carter
Vanover and Dennis-Sutton did more than their share against Boise State.
They combined for a crucial dozen tackles, 4.5 of which were behind scrimmage, and two sacks.
They led the charge against Jeanty. He needed all 30 grinding runs to earn just 104 yards, his worst performance of the season.
If Jeanty didn't run, the Broncos wouldn't have a chance.
“Defensively, I think our team got tired of me talking about him,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said in the post-game interview room. “I think we made the point about the respect we have for that young man and the type of running back he is.
“I thought our d-line did a really good job of being disruptive and getting into the backfield. I thought we did a really good job with the gang tackle. There were a few moments where we didn't pack like we should have But for the most part, our defense played the lights out.”
But never should they have survived most of a game without someone like Carter. He left early in the second quarter, his team leading by just a touchdown.
“Don't get me wrong, he's obviously a great player. The whole world should know that,” Vanover said. “But when your number is called, you have to step up. That's exactly what I live by… We're proud of that.'
According to these linemen and their coach, Deion Barnes, Carter's injury proved inspiring. Losing arguably the nation's best pass rusher, a certain first-round NFL Draft pick in April, changed their motivation and focus.
“Because we played for him,” star defenseman Zane Durant said. “We did it for him because we know how much he put into this, how much he wanted to win. … Take care of our brother.”
Barnes, the former Nittany Lion defensive lineman who now coaches them: “That mentality has to change from 'Damn, I wish he was there' to 'Okay, we gotta go, we gotta make it right for it.'”
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Ultimately, they did so emphatically. They gave Boise quarterback Maddux Madsen easy, short throws and 300 passing yards.
But they gave up just one touchdown in the second quarter; another in the third.
They earned their way into their next biggest test against Notre Dame or Georgia.
They showed that even without their star, they still have one of the best defenses in the country.
“I know Abdul wants to play next week, and he'll do everything he can to play next week if he's able to do so,” Franklin said. 'We'll find out more. I don't have much more information.'
The point is that it may not matter as much as it could or even should.
That's exactly what national title teams do.
Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at[email protected] and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.
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Sources 2/ https://www.ydr.com/story/sports/college/penn-state/football/2025/01/01/why-penn-state-football-took-big-cfp-step-in-win-vs-boise-state/77293783007/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
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