Who will Penn State play next in CFP Quarterfinals? Nittany Lions opponents after SMU win explored

The College Football Playoff continues to captivate fans, and the second game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the SMU Mustangs delivered plenty of action.

The Nittany Lions secured a 38-10 victory, advancing to the CFP Quarterfinals.

Who will Penn State play next in CFP Quarterfinals?

With the win over SMU, Penn State advances to the Fiesta Bowl, where they will face the Boise State Broncos on New Year’s Eve. The Nittany Lions’ dominant victory not only marked their first-ever playoff win but also tied their record for the most wins in a single season with 12. Additionally, their overall record in White Out games improved to 12-8.

The Fiesta Bowl matchup against Boise State is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Dec. 31 at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Boise State earned their spot in the Quarterfinals with one of the four first-round byes, following their Mountain West championship win.

Penn State coach praises 'tremendous' home support

SMU had a promising start on its opening drive, pushing the Penn State defense to its limits but falling short of a crucial first down near the end zone.

After the game, Penn State coach James Franklin highlighted the impact of the home crowd and the significance of the win. He said:

“A lot of the other games had some built-in advantages in terms of the distance between the two teams. So the fact that we filled that thing up with 106,000 fans, predominantly all of ours, is significant.

"I don’t want that to come off the wrong way. I’ve got a ton of respect for SMU. I’ve got a ton of respect for Coach Lashlee. But it was impactful today, and it’s really like that all the time. From the spring game with 75,000-plus all the way through this season, we get tremendous support, and we don’t take that for granted.”

The Broncos are led by Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty, who has enjoyed a record-breaking season. Jeanty is just 131 rushing yards shy of tying Barry Sanders’ NCAA single-season rushing record, making him a key player to watch.

Who is favored to win Penn State vs. Boise State?

The Penn State Nittany Lions are the favorites to defeat the Boise State Broncos in the Fiesta Bowl. FanDuel lists Penn State as a 10.5-point favorites over Boise State, with the total points Over/Under set at 53.5.

According to BetMGM college football odds, the Nittany Lions have the edge, with the spread at -9.5, money lines at -375 for Penn State and +300 for Boise State, and the Over/Under at 52.5 points.

College Football Playoff Schedule

First Round (Dec. 20-21)

Friday, Dec. 20: No. 7 Notre Dame 27, No. 10 Indiana 17

Saturday, Dec. 21: No. 6 Penn State 38, No. 11 SMU 10

Saturday, Dec. 21: No. 5 Texas 38, No. 12 Clemson 24

Saturday, Dec. 21: No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State | 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN

Quarterfinals (Dec. 31-Jan. 1)

Tuesday, Dec. 31 | ESPN

Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 6 Penn State | 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 1 | ESPN

Peach Bowl: No. 4 Arizona State vs. No. 5 Texas | 1 p.m.

Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Ohio State/No. 9 Tennessee

Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. No. 7 Notre Dame | 8:45 p.m.

Semifinals (Jan. 9-10)

Orange Bowl: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9 | ESPN

Cotton Bowl: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10 | ESPN

CFP National Championship:

7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20 | ESPN at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia