The season for the Penn State Nittany Lions in the NCAAF could undoubtedly not be going any better. Especially after earning the Fiesta Bowl title by defeating the Boise State Broncos without hesitation. Now, they will face either the Georgia Bulldogs or the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and James Franklin made it clear what he thinks about it.
After the game, where his team ultimately defeated the opponent with a solid 31-14 score, PSU’s HC faced the media in the press conference. When asked whether he prefers to face Kirby Smart’s team or Marcus Freeman’s, Franklin was very straightforward in his response.
“Honestly, I want to enjoy this Boise win and this Fiesta Bowl win for a couple hours. We’re going to enjoy the new year. We’re going to enjoy this win for a couple hours, and then obviously we’ll start to get a little bit of a head start on these teams,” he started.
“But obviously, two great programs. Won a bunch of games. History, tradition, talent, coaching. At this point in the season, you’re going to play really good people, and we’re excited about that opportunity. But tonight, we want to enjoy this for a couple of hours. There will be plenty of time, and hours, to get focused on those next opponents,” Franklin finally concluded.
Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions reacts during the fourth quarter against the Boise State Broncos in the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on December 31, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona.
The Nittany Lions are set to face the Orange Bowl next, with their opponent to be determined from the matchup between Georgia and Notre Dame. The game is scheduled for January 9 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.
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The challenge of stopping Jeanty
Ahead of this matchup, one of the biggest questions was how the Nittany Lions would manage to stop the offensive power of the Broncos, particularly on the ground. Ashton Jeanty was one of the standout players of the season in this department, and Penn State used its best strategies to completely shut down the talented RB.
“I think we did corral him. Not “sort of.” I think we did corral. They got some yards there at the end. And I think defensively, I think our team was sick of me talking about him. I think we got the point across about the respect that we have for that young man and the type of running back he is,” Franklin said.
“Even today, I think our defense would say they have a ton of respect for him and how many tackles he was able to break and how strong he is and the contact balance. He’s an impressive guy. But we’re pretty good on defense. Thought our D-line did a really good job of being disruptive and getting in the backfield. I thought we did a really good job gang-tackling. There were a few times where we didn’t wrap like we should have. But for the most part, our defense played lights out.“
Kobe King #41 of the Penn State Nittany Lions tackles Ashton Jeanty #2 of the Boise State Broncos during the second quarter in the 2024 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium on December 31, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona.
Franklin expressed pride in the milestones achieved
James Franklin expressed great happiness for securing a spot in the CFP semifinals, but also for breaking some records within the program. Without a doubt, this has been a great season for the Nittany Lions.
“Just a couple of things I’ll say. Thirteen wins, first time in program history. Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton both surpassing 1,000 yards in the same season. First time we’ve ever had two 1,000 yard rushers in the same season since joining the Big Ten [and in school history]. Then 34 wins over the last three years. We’re very, very proud of that. Consistency is hard to do, and our guys have done a great job at it. The maturity they’ve shown has been impressive. 8-0 in Fiesta Bowls. Penn State loves the Fiesta Bowl. We’ll come every year.”
