The Broncos and Nittany Lions quarterfinal matchup will feature three first-team All-Americans — tied for the most in a quarterfinal game.
With multiple big names taking the field, here’s a rundown of players who will control their respective teams’ fate with their performances.
Boise State
Offense: Running back Ashton Jeanty
Whenever a player is mentioned in the same conversation as an NFL Hall of Fame running back, there’s nothing else that needs to be said.
The Heisman finalist was nearly unstoppable during the regular season, finishing with 2,613 all-purpose yards and 30 total touchdowns. Even more impressive, Jeanty’s 2,497 rushing yards is the fourth-most in FBS single-season history.
He needs 132 rush yards to break Barry Sanders’ all-time record (2,628) set in 1988. There’s no question that the Broncos offense runs through the Doak Walker and Maxwell awards winner.
Defense: Edge Jayden Virgin-Morgan
The Broncos have four players with five or more sacks this season, and the ring leader is Virgin-Morgan at 10 with 15.5 tackles for loss — team-high as well.
Even though the offense gets most of the spotlight, the defense ranks second in the country with 51 sacks. The unit came up huge against UNLV, forcing two turnovers on downs in the second — one in the red zone and another at Boise State’s 21-yard line. The defense Virgin-Morgan had a sack in the conference championship win.
The Nittany Lions flex a top-20 rushing attack in the country and can do a lot of damage through the air, making Boise State’s defensive line play even more important.
Penn State
Offense: Tight End Tyler Warren
Penn State has multiple weapons for quarterback Drew Allar to use on offense, whether that’s on the ground or through the air.
One player that has made an impact on both fronts is Warren.
The Mackey award winner has been the best tight end in all of college Football this year, leading Penn State in receptions (92) and receiving yards (1,095) — a Big Ten single-season record by a tight end.
Warren had a quiet game in the first round against SMU with just four receptions for 33 yards, but keep an eye on the first-team All-American.
Defense: Defensive End Abdul Carter
The Nittany Lions’ other first-team All-American, unanimous at that, Carter has been a force to be reckoned all season.
He collected 11 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss, ranking top 10 in the nation in both categories and second in the latter statistic. Carter was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Ted Hendricks award winner and finalist for the Bronko Nagurski trophy and Lombardi award. He had two tackles for loss and sack versus SMU.
It’s been impressive how strong Penn State’s defense has looked all season, and it’s even more incredible to headline the bunch like Carter.
