Penn State won the toss and deferred to the second half to start the Fiesta Bowl against Boise State.
That meant that Ashton Jeanty and the Broncos offense would see the field first. Jeanty rushed three times for four yards, but it wasn’t him who got the ball on fourth down and two from the Penn State 28-yard line on the opening drive of the game.
Instead, it was a 45-yard field goal attempt from Jonah Dalmas that Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson elected to go with.
This is what happened.
Boise State’s field goal attempt is no bueno
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) January 1, 2025
Those types of things can’t happen if you’re the Broncos and while it is understandable to be conservative and go for the points, not every team is afforded the best running back in the country in Jeanty in their backfield.
The shank set up Penn State’s opening possession, one that went 72 yards in nine plays and culminated in an 11-yard touchdown reception by Tyler Warren to put the Nittany Lions on the board.
It was the opposite of what Rhett Lashlee did in the first round of the playoff when he elected to go for it on fourth down rather than attempt the points on SMU’s opening drive.































