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Penn State football must subdue a dangerous underdog to move into the College Football Playoff semifinals.
That means beating Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve.
That means handling one of college football’s most unusual, electric stars in recent memory: Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty.
Jeanty packs stunning speed and power from such a compact body (5-foot-9, 215 pounds). And a prolific production not seen in decades.
The No. 1 assignment for Penn State’s Top 10 defense in this CFP quarterfinal game will be controlling the Broncos’ Jeanty, who has rushed for 2,497 yards this season — just 132 away from breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season FBS record from 1988.
Jeanty’s numbers are difficult to fathom: He’s averaging 192 yards rushing per game and 7.3 yards per carry. He’s run for 29 touchdowns.
Sep 7, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) rushes for a first down during the first half against Oregon Ducks defensive back Nikko Reed (9) at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Even more? He, somehow, has accumulated 1,882 yards rushing after contact — more than any other FBS player has in total this season. (Consider that Penn State standouts Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen have combined to rush for 1,820 yards, overall, in 2024).
It means that Jeanty’s been nearly impossible to bring down on first contact, to tackle with just one defender.
What can the Penn State football defense do to Ashton Jeanty?
Jeanty, despite playing for a Group of 5 team in the Mountain West Conference, earned Heisman Trophy runner-up status a couple of weeks ago — he finished second to Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter. Jeanty also was voted a unanimous All-American.
Penn State coach James Franklin was effusive in his praise of his soon-to-be opponent during a…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/hes-beast-penn-state-football-101145666.html
Author : York Daily Record
Publish date : 2024-12-24 10:11:00
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