On Saturday afternoon, the Penn State Nittany Lions secured their spot in the second round of the College Football Playoff with a commanding 38-10 win over the SMU Mustangs. From the start, it was evident that Penn State was the superior team, displaying more effective play. Head coach James Franklin expressed his desire for an “aggressive” approach, which contributed to the team’s success. “I told the guys we were going to call the game aggressively,” Franklin stated, according to ESPN. “I wanted them to play aggressively. Don’t play on your heels, play on your toes. Fourth-and-1, I can’t talk about that all week and then not do it.” This victory not only set up a matchup against Boise State on New Year’s Eve but also made history for the Nittany Lions.
The team announced that they hosted over 106,000 fans, marking the largest crowd in College Football Playoff history. Until this season, most playoff venues couldn’t accommodate such numbers. However, the new format permits home games in the first round, allowing schools like Penn State and Ohio State to easily set a new attendance record. The Nittany Lions had about 5,000 more fans than the Buckeyes did for their game against Tennessee on Saturday night. Now, Penn State is turning its attention to the Boise State Broncos and Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty. Ahead of the game, Franklin emphasized the importance of focusing on each match: “A lot of college coaches talk about this being a four-game season. It’s not,” he stated. “It’s a one-game season. How you value those reps and how you prepare will create your opportunities for future games. We’re in a one-game season, and we just extended it by one more game.” Penn State will face Boise State at 7:30 p.m. ET on New Year’s Eve.
