The State CollegeIn the first round of the College Football Playoffs, Penn State defeated SMU 38–10 on Saturday at Beaver Stadium thanks to an outstanding defense and a White Out crowd.
After defeating No. 11 seed SMU, Penn State, the sixth seed in the 12-team field, went 12-2 on the season and advanced to the CFP quarterfinals.
In the quarterfinals, which will be hosted by the Fiesta Bowl, Penn State will play No. 3 seed Boise State. On New Year’s Eve, the Broncos and Nittany Lions will square off at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. ESPN will broadcast the game, which is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.
Penn State laid the stage for a possible CFP run with a strong defensive performance. In the first half, SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings was intercepted three times by the Nittany Lions. Dom DeLuca and Tony Rojas, both linebackers, picked up two of the interceptions.
On offensive, Penn State wasn’t flawless. However, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen’s ground game was more than sufficient to support Abdul Carter and company, making Jennings’ life a misery.
For the fourth time in program history, Penn State achieved a 12-win season. Twelve games were won by the Nittany Lions in 1973, 1986, and 1994. It was also, appropriately, James Franklin’s 100th victory with the Nittany Lions.
Watch this space for additional PennLive coverage of the Penn State team at Beaver Stadium.
Stories by
Johnny McGonigal
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