As CFP run continues, Penn State aims to bounce back from season high in penalties during Fiesta Bowl

When he sits down with reporters after games, Penn State coach James Franklin is known to dive into a multitude of statistical categories he deems “battles” as he delivers an opening statement before taking questions.

“Turnover battle? We won that.”

“Explosive play battle? Lost that.”

And so Franklin will go, picking apart his team’s performance at the surface level before offering more substantial thoughts on the overall effort.

Regarding the penalty battle (as Franklin would call it), Tuesday’s College Football Playoff quarterfinals matchup between the No. 5 Nittany Lions and No. 8 Boise State probably was a draw.

In Penn State’s 31-14 Fiesta Bowl win, the Nittany Lions were flagged 10 times for 98 yards, and the Broncos committed 13 penalties for 90 yards.

“We made things more difficult than it needed to be with penalties and things like that,” Franklin said after the game. “There were a ton of penalties in this game, really, for both teams. We made it a little bit harder than it needed to be.”

Penn State did a multitude of good things to advance to the CFP semifinals.

It held Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty to a season-low 104 yards, keeping the dynamic tailback largely in check.

The Nittany Lions picked off quarterback Maddux Madsen three times while imposing their will offensively through the air and on the ground.

Yet throughout the game, which remained competitive until a backbreaking 58-yard touchdown run by Nick Singleton with about six minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Nittany Lions were frustrated by penalties.

Particularly costly was a second-quarter holding infraction committed by veteran Sal Wormley that negated a 50-yard rush by Kaytron Allen to the Boise State 21-yard line.

Only two plays later, Wormley was flagged for a facemask that brought back an 11-yard gain by Singleton.

Four plays later, instead of knocking at the door for more points, Penn State punted.

The drive before that, two false starts contributed to an eventual punt.

Later in the third quarter, from the Boise State 12, Wormley was flagged for a false start, and soon thereafter, the Nittany Lions, up 17-14, faced a third-and-11 from the 13.

On the ensuing play, Boise State blitzed, but Drew Allar found Tyler Warren for a leaping grab in the end zone to go ahead by two possessions.

Tyler Warren is outrageous
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— Max Chadwick (@CFBMaxChadwick) January 1, 2025

“That drive, just getting it going again and getting six points is really important and not ending in a field goal,” Warren said.

For Penn State, the CFP quarterfinals was an untimely game to post a season high in total penalties and penalty yards.

But for every costly penalty the Nittany Lions committed, Boise State often managed one of its own, including a drive-extending pass interference call that led to Ryan Barker’s field goal to close out the first half.

Even more painful for Boise State was a third-quarter touchdown removed from the board after a personal foul penalty.

Instead, two plays later at the start of the fourth quarter, Madsen was picked off by Zakee Wheatley at Penn State’s 13-yard line.

Franklin had much to be pleased with in the win, but on the CFP road ahead, cutting down on penalties is going to be key.

“At the end of the day, we played a complete game: offense, defense and special teams — complementary football,” Franklin said. “Did some special things (Tuesday).

“I’m just proud of our guys.”