Penn State defensive tackle Koziah Izard, 99, celebrates a defensive stop against Boise State during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff game on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, in Glendale, Arizona (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Written by John Marshall
Associated Press
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Football coaches, perhaps more than any other sport, are big proponents of structure, routine and consistent messaging.
Penn State’s James Franklin has stuck to a 1-0 philosophy since his early days in Happy Valley.
Yes, it’s a cliché. One day at a time, one play at a time, one game at a time is a mantra heard almost daily in the sports world.
Franklin’s players bought into the program wholeheartedly, pushing it to new heights and steering it away from scandals that threatened to destroy it.
“I wouldn’t say it’s too unique, but I’m a big believer in being here,” Franklin said after Tuesday night’s Fiesta Bowl. “For a lot of players, when things are going crazy and you’re being pulled in different directions, it’s helpful to be able to take a deep breath and focus. Whether it’s 1-0 or our core values. It doesn’t matter.”
Franklin’s philosophy was spot on throughout the first two rounds of the College Football Playoff.
No. 6 seed Penn State (13-2) opened with a blowout win over SMU in front of a deafening home crowd and went on to advance to the quarterfinals, defeating No. 8 seed Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. They won the game, beating them 31-14.
1-0 twice.
With the Fiesta Bowl win, the Nittany Lions will play in the Orange Bowl on January 9th, and will face No. 2 Georgia and No. 3 Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, which was postponed until today due to the New Year’s truck attack in New Orleans. He earned the right to compete against the winner of the tournament. Eve.
The other CFP semifinal (January 10th Cotton Bowl) will be decided Wednesday, with top-ranked Oregon State facing No. 6 Ohio State in the Rose Bowl and No. 3 Texas taking on No. 12 in the Peach Bowl. They will play against Arizona State. .
“At this point in the season, we’re going to be playing against some really great players and we’re excited for the opportunity,” Franklin said.
Penn State has come a long way from the shadow of the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal that ousted the late, respected coach Joe Paterno and cast a deep stain on the school’s flagship program. We had a really good team underneath. For college football.
With a consistent message and attention to detail, Franklin steadily rebuilt the Nittany Lions, culminating in three straight New Year’s Six bowls.
Penn State advanced to the CFP for the first time this year with one of the most complete teams in the nation.
Their defense is overwhelming, ranking in the top 10 nationally in several categories. The Nittany Lions had a difficult time with Boise State’s Ashton Giunty in the Fiesta Bowl, holding the Heisman Trophy runner-up to a season-low 104 yards on 30 carries, just 3.5 yards per carry, or That’s half the season average.
“We knew who we were playing against. We knew we had to protect the ball on every play because he could break it on any play,” he said, making the interception. said Penn State safety Zaky Wheatley, who recovered the fumble. “We did that the whole game.”
Penn State’s offense has been balanced all season.
The Nittany Lions may not have a running back like Giunty, but the combination of Caitron Allen and Nick Singleton made it clear, at least for one night, that two Heisman Trophy finalists are better than one. It was proven. They totaled 1,820 yards and 16 touchdowns en route to the Fiesta Bowl and were a key cog in the victory over Boise State.
Allen ran for 135 yards in the fourth quarter, and Singleton had a soul-crushing 58-yard touchdown run.
Tyler Warren won the John Mackey Award as the nation’s best tight end and left a big mark on the Fiesta Bowl by catching two touchdown passes.
Then there’s Drew Aller.
Penn State’s quarterback continued to win despite facing criticism throughout the season. He was sharp for most of the night in the Fiesta Bowl, throwing three touchdowns in a very tight window.
“We played a complete game with complementary football on offense, defense and special teams,” Franklin said. “We did something special tonight.”
They continued to do that all season, winning 1-0 games 13 times and counting.
