The 2024 Fiesta Bowl was a college football bowl game that was played on December 31, 2024, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The 54th annual Fiesta Bowl featured Boise State and Penn State, and was one of the 2024âÂÂ25 bowl games concluding the 2024 FBS football season. It was also one of the College Football Playoff (CFP) quarterfinal games, beginning at approximately 5:30 p.m. MST and airing on ESPN. Sponsored by online vacation rental marketplace Vrbo, the game was officially known as the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
The 2024 Fiesta Bowl was the first-ever quarterfinal game for the College Football Playoff (CFP). Boise State, being the ninth-ranked team in the final CFP rankings and winning their conference championship game, received a bye in the CFP's new 12-team format and was selected to play in the bowl game as the third seed in the CFP playoff. The playoff's 11th seed, SMU (ranked 10th in the final CFP poll), and sixth seed, Penn State (ranked fourth in the final CFP poll), met on December 21 for the other spot in the Fiesta Bowl, with Penn State winning by a score of 38âÂÂ10.
This was the first-ever meeting between the Nittany Lions and the Broncos. Penn State defeated Boise State and advanced to the semifinal round at the Orange Bowl, to face the winner of the Sugar Bowl.
This was the first meeting between Penn State and Boise State. Both teams had previously appeared in multiple Fiesta Bowls, with undefeated records: Boise State was 3âÂÂ0 in prior appearances, most recently the December 2014 edition, while Penn State was 7âÂÂ0 in prior appearances, most recently the December 2017 edition.
Boise State earned a first-round bye in the playoff as the Mountain West Conference champions. The Broncos entered with a 12âÂÂ1 record (7âÂÂ0 in conference); their only loss was to Oregon on September 7.
Penn State compiled an 11âÂÂ1 record (8âÂÂ1 in conference) during the regular season, losing only to Ohio State. The Nittany Lions qualified for the Big Ten Championship Game, which they fell to top-ranked Oregon 45âÂÂ37. Penn State was then selected to compete in the CFP playoff; ranked fourth in the final CFP rankings, they received the sixth seed in the playoff bracket. Facing SMU in a first-round game, Penn State took a 28âÂÂ0 lead into halftime en route to a 38âÂÂ10 victory. The Nittany Lions entered the Fiesta Bowl with a 12âÂÂ2 record.
Both teams began the game with scoring chances; Boise State's first possession ended with an unsuccessful field goal attempt, and Penn State scored on a pass from Drew Allar to Tyler Warren to complete their first drive. Penn State pushed their lead to 14 points on their second drive with a 38-yard pass from Allar to Omari Evans. Both teams fumbled early into their next possessions and then traded punts early in the second quarter. Boise State scored for the first time on an 8-yard rush by Tyler Crowe, capping an eight-play drive with 8:41 remaining until halftime. After each team punted twice, Penn State's Ryan Barker made a 40-yard field goal as the quarter ended and Penn State entered halftime with a 17âÂÂ7 lead.
After a three-and-out by Penn State to begin the third quarter, Boise State drew their deficit down to three points with a 53-yard touchdown pass from Maddux Madsen to Matt Lauter. The Nittany Lions reestablished a ten-point lead on their ensuing drive, though, on an Allar-to-Warren touchdown pass. Boise State's next drive concluded with the game's first interception on the first play of the fourth quarter; Madsen's pass was picked off by Zakee Wheatley at the Penn State 41-yard line. After a Penn State punt, Boise State drove to the Penn State 21-yard line but missed a 38-yard field goal. The game's final scoring play came with just under five minutes remaining on a 58-yard Nicholas Singleton rush; both of Boise State's final two drives ended with interceptions and Penn State won 31âÂÂ14 to advance to the semifinals.