Penn State is 7-0 in the Fiesta Bowl, having last played in the contest at the end of the 2017 season. James Franklin’s Nittany Lions defeated Washington 35-28 in the game. ESPN will broadcast the game with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. (EST) on New Year’s Eve.

Maddux Madsen and Boise State’s offense will face off with Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl with a trip to the CFP semifinals on the line.

In the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff, the No. 5 Penn State Nittany Lions (12-2) will play the No. 8 Boise State Broncos (12-1) in the Fiesta Bowl, starting at 7:30 p.m. ET in

For starters, there’s a Heisman Trophy runner-up (Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty), the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year (Penn State’s Abdul Carter) and the Mackey Award winner (Penn State’s Tyler Warren) in the game.

Boise State Broncos assistant head coach Stacy Collins spent two seasons with the Penn State Nittany Lions. "Coach Collins was my guy," Penn State's Dom DeLuca said.

When Ioane, a native of the Seattle area, de-committed from the University of Washington, Collins suggested he speak to Penn State offensive line coach Phil Trautwein. Ioane wound up committing to the Lions in February 2022.

Penn State has enlisted Tyler Holzworth, a junior, to mimic Jeanty on the scout team. It’s an impossible ask, but the 6-0, 219-pound Nittany Lions back can help present some of the same looks that Boise State gives with Jeanty.

Boise State and Penn State are two of the top rushing offenses in the country, but the Fiesta Bowl participants use different approaches to shred teams on the ground. The third-seeded Broncos (12-1) rely on Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty to do most of the work.

Penn State's defense will have a huge task in trying to slow down Boise State star Ashton Jeanty in Tuesday's Fiesta Bowl.