What’s the betting line for the Fiesta Bowl? Here are the odds for Boise State vs Penn State
Boise State may be the higher seed heading into its Fiesta Bowl matchup with Penn State, but the oddsmakers in Las Vegas aren’t giving the Broncos much of a chance.
Early betting lines for No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 6 Penn State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals have the Broncos as 10.5-point underdogs. Among the four quarterfinal games, only No. 5 Texas’ 14-point spread against No. 4 Arizona State is larger.
Boise State received a first-round bye by being among the four highest-ranked conference champions in the CFP committee’s rankings.
Penn State fell in the Big Ten Championship 45-37 to No. 1 Oregon, forcing the Nittany Lions into a first-round game. Despite that, Penn State cruised to a 38-10 victory over No. 11 SMU on Saturday to set up a Fiesta Bowl matchup with Boise State on Dec. 31.
If the Broncos want to stand a chance against Penn State, they’ll have to lean on Heisman Trophy runner-up running back Ashton Jeanty. The junior leads the nation in rushing yards (2,497) and rushing touchdowns (29).
Jeanty will have his hands full with the Nittany Lions, who boast the 7th-best rushing defense in the nation, averaging 100.4 rushing yards allowed per game. Penn State allowed just 58 rushing yards against SMU.
Boise State and Penn State will face off in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve in Glendale, Arizona. Kickoff is set for 5:30 p.m. Mountain Time, with the winner moving on to face either No. 2 Georgia or No. 7 Notre Dame.