Upcoming CFP Quarterfinal Encounters Feature Penn State's Sturdy Defense Facing Off Against Boise State's Ashton Jeanty
Three of the top four and five of the country's top 10 defensive units will be on display in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal commencement on New Year's Eve. This spectacle should produce satisfaction for the over 10 million viewers who will tune in to each of the four games, starting on New Year's Eve evening. Regrettably, the initial round left much to be desired, with every game being decided by double digits and an average score of 19 points. Consequently, here is a delineation of storylines for each of the four quarterfinal matchups, with an emphasis on the defensive side of the scrimmage.
Fiesta Bowl
No. 6 seed Penn State vs. No. 3 seed Boise State | Dec. 31, 7:30 ET | ESPN
Boise State's Ashton Jeanty leads the nation with 2,497 rushing yards and an average of 192 yards per game. He requires 132 yards to surpass Barry Sanders' record for the most rushing yards in a single FBS season. Jeanty's competition is Penn State's fifth-ranked defense, which permits 100 yards per game on the ground, placing them seventh. The Nittany Lions have allowed the most rushing yards in a game this season (189 at USC), and only one opposing back has exceeded the century mark; this was achieved by the Trojans' Woody Marks with 111 yards.
In the second week of the season against Oregon (ranked 35th against the run), Jeanty collected his season average of 192 yards along with three touchdowns across 25 carries in a tightly contested game. He faced UNLV, which boasts the No. 22 rank in rush defense, twice, managing less than four yards per carry in the regular-season meeting (33-128-1) and breaking out for 32-209-1 in the MWC championship game. Jeanty's other opponents this season have averaged run defenses ranked from 92nd to 127th among the other FBS opponents he's faced.
This analysis does not set out to diminish Jeanty's outstanding season, which includes 29 rushing touchdowns. If Jeanty has another remarkable performance in this game, he will have truly earned every yard since Penn State presents a considerable challenge.
On the other hand, Boise State ranks 61st in total defense, but Penn State quarterback Drew Allar and his offensive line will confront a defense with 51 sacks in 13 games, averaging 3.9 sacks per game, placing it second nationally. Redshirt sophomore edge Jayden Virgin-Morgan (10.0) and senior end Ahmed Hassanein (8.5) are the defense's leading sack contributors, with Hassanein amassing 12.5 last season.
Peach Bowl
No. 5 seed Texas vs. No. 4 seed Arizona State | Jan. 1, 1:00 ET | ESPN
Texas' running game may be the focal point in this matchup. They rank third nationally in total defense (261 yards) and 11th in run defense (104 yards). The Sun Devils' Cam Skattebo, the fifth-best rusher in the nation (131 yards per game), could pose a significant challenge. Skattebo is also proficient in the passing game, having caught 37 passes for an additional 506 yards. Quarterback Sam Leavitt is expected to rely heavily on Skattebo, given that receiver Jordyn Tyson (upper body) is likely to miss a second consecutive game. In the Big 12 championship game, Skattebo scored a 33-yard touchdown reception against Iowa State.
Texas' defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski oversees a unit that ranks 12th in yielding 3.11 yards per rush attempt, with notable consistency. This is the only time that Florida (4.8 yards per attempt) managed to accumulate more than 4 yards per rush (in a game in which Texas won by 32 points). On eight additional occasions, their defense has allowed between 3.0 and 3.8 yards per rush, with a mark sustained by a unit that shares the 13th spot in tackles for loss per game with, you guessed it, Penn State, at 7.3 tackles for loss per game.
Rose Bowl
No. 1 seed Oregon vs. No. 8 seed Ohio State | Jan. 1, 5:00 ET | ESPN
The top-ranked defense in the country belongs to Oregon, who permit 242 yards per game. Ohio State's defense is not far behind, as they rank 10th and allow 302 yards per game. Although there was little to suggest such strong defense during their mid-October clash in Eugene, where the combined yardage reached 963 in Oregon's 32-31 victory, the Buckeyes restricted their opponents to only 204 yards per game in their other 12 contests.
Oregon experienced their two most challenging defensive outings against the Buckeyes (467 yards) and Penn State in the Big Ten championship game (518 yards). Despite these poor performances, they still emerged victorious in both games. In all other games, Oregon's defense only allowed as many as 310 yards on one occasion (to Boise State).
In their initial encounter, Oregon's Dillon Gabriel and Ohio State's Will Howard showed almost identical statistics. Gabriel, a Heisman contender, successfully completed 23 out of 34 passes for 341 yards and scored two touchdowns. Four of his passes surpassed the 30-yard mark. Howard, who had an outstanding performance in his first-round game against Tennessee, completed 28 out of 35 passes for 326 yards and scored two touchdowns as well. Neither of them committed any turnovers. Oregon's Jordan James, the third-best rusher in the Big Ten, ran 23 times for 115 yards and scored a touchdown against the eighth-best team in run defense. On the other hand, TreVeyon Henderson managed 87 yards on just 10 carries, with 53 yards coming from a single run.
Sugar Bowl
No. 7 seed Notre Dame vs. No. 2 seed Georgia | Jan. 1, 8:45 ET | ESPN
Regrettably, Georgia's starting quarterback, Carson Beck, who announced his entry into the NFL draft on Saturday, will not be able to participate due to an elbow injury. Georgia's running game averages just 129 yards per game, placing them at the 100th position. This combination seems rather vulnerable against Notre Dame's defense, which ranks 8th in the nation in allowing 295 yards. However, Georgia's strong defense, which includes winning a low-scoring (22-19) overtime match against Texas in the SEC championship game while intercepting Quinn Ewers twice and sacking him six times, might not require much offensive support to keep their season alive.
Gunner Stockton, who has been with the team for three years and enjoys the respect of his teammates and coaches, did an admirable job filling in for Beck in the SEC championship game against Texas. Stockton will have had three weeks to prepare for the quarterfinals. Notre Dame's defense is indeed a formidable challenge, but it is a unit that boasts DB Xavier Watts (6 interceptions), leads the nation in pass efficiency defense and turnovers forced (29), and is tied for the lead in defensive touchdowns (6).
Georgia ranks 35th in total defense, allowing 337 yards per game. While it may not be in the top 10 of the previous four full seasons, Glenn Schumann's group is still a strong one. It will be tasked with containing the nation's 11th-best running game, which includes Jeremiyah Love (1,057 yards, 7.4 touchdowns), quarterback Riley Leonard (751 yards, 5.6 touchdowns), and Jadarian Price (683 yards, 6.8 touchdowns).
- In the Fiesta Bowl matchup between Penn State and Boise State, Boise State's Ashton Jeanty needs 132 yards to break Barry Sanders' record for the most rushing yards in a single FBS season, facing Penn State's fifth-ranked defense that allows 100 yards per game on the ground.
- The Peach Bowl between Texas and Arizona State will feature Texas' stout defense, ranked third in total defense and 11th in run defense, against Arizona State's Cam Skattebo, the fifth-best rusher in the nation.
- The Rose Bowl will showcase the top-ranked defense in the country, Oregon's, against Ohio State's defense, which ranks 10th. Dillon Gabriel and Ohio State's Will Howard had similar statistics in their previous encounter, but Oregon emerged victorious with strong performances from their defense.
- In the Sugar Bowl, Georgia's backup quarterback, Gunner Stockton, will face a formidable challenge against Notre Dame's defense, which leads the nation in pass efficiency defense and turnovers forced, despite Georgia's running game struggling to generate yards.
- Additionally, ESPN College Football will broadcast all four games of the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, including the possible new year's day cfp game between No. 7 seed Notre Dame and No. 2 seed Georgia, where Abdul Carter, a contributing member of Georgia's defense, will be on display.
