Penn State football has a chance to make program history after its dominant victory over SMU in the College Football Playoff. The Nittany Lions pulled no punches in Happy Valley on Saturday afternoon. Head coach James Franklin's program overwhelmed the Mustangs from the start, pulling away to win 38-10. The No. 4 ranked team in the country will now face Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Eve.

Something will have to give in this upcoming match. Both Penn State and Boise State are undefeated in the Fiesta Bowl, posting some of their most iconic moments in this game. The Nittany Lions also have the opportunity to be the first team ever from Happy Valley to win 13 games, which would be another accomplishment under James Franklin that can quiet down the doubters.

Penn State is playing its best football at the perfect time

Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin reacts during the first half against the Southern Methodist Mustangs at Beaver Stadium.
Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Nittany Lions spent very little time leaving Saturday afternoon's game in doubt. After a rough showing against Oregon, Penn State's defense had the ultimate bounce-back performance. The unit had three interceptions over SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings, including two pick-sixes. Going into the contest, SMU has a top-five scoring offense in the country. Not anymore. The Mustangs could only muster ten points, with most of those coming when the game was in hand.

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Penn State's offense was also very solid, particularly on the ground, rushing for 189 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Drew Allar didn't need to do much, completing 13 of 22 passes for 127 yards. Now, James Franklin's team heads into Glendale to face a mysterious Boise State team.

The No. 9 Broncos have had a terrific season, recovering from an early loss against Oregon to go 12-1 and winning the Mountain West conference. This program is used to playing in big games and shocking the world, particularly during the Chris Petersen era. However, it's hard to evaluate a team with the 81st-ranked strength of schedule in the country. The one certainty about the Broncos is their best player. Ashton Jeanty.

The Doak Walker and Maxwell Award winner is the best player Penn State has faced this year. Jeanty has been tracking Barry Sanders' single-season rushing record for most of the season. At 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns, the Broncos tailback has put together a season for the ages in 2024. However, despite playing against the No. 1 Ducks earlier in the year, this will be the best defense Jeanty has faced on New Year's Eve. Penn State's defense has given up only 16.4 points and 103.6 yards a rush per game.

Overall, Penn State and Boise State fans can already start counting the days to the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl. The two programs are looking to make history as they vie for a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinal. It doesn't get any better than this.