Ashton Jeanty took the ball on Boise State’s first play and made a few steps before being stopped by a group of Penn State players in dark blue jerseys. They pushed him backward, and he didn’t gain any yards.
It was the beginning of a tough night for Jeanty, who had an incredible season.
Jeanty, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, rushed for a season-low 104 yards on 30 carries as No. 6 seed Penn State defeated No. 3 seed Boise State 31-14 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals on Tuesday. The Broncos were never ahead in the game, struggling to get their running game going after falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter.
“Ashton Jeanty’s the best football player in the country, period. Point blank,” said Boise State coach Spencer Danielson. “You’re always ready for those explosive plays. We believe in wearing a defense out.”
“But it’s hard when you’re digging yourself out of a two-score (hole).”
Jeanty finished the season with 2,601 rushing yards, just shy of the Football Bowl Subdivision record. Heisman Trophy winner Barry Sanders set the record with 2,628 yards for Oklahoma State in 1988. Sanders did this in only 11 games, while Jeanty played 14.
Penn State coach James Franklin said his team was very motivated to prevent Jeanty from breaking the single-season record.
“He’s an impressive guy, but we’re pretty good on defense,” Franklin said. “I thought our D-line did a really good job of being disruptive and getting in the backfield. Then I thought we did a good job gang tackling. There were a few times we didn’t wrap like we should, but for the most part our defense played lights out.”
Jeanty moved up from fourth to second on the single-season chart after his Fiesta Bowl performance, passing UCF’s Kevin Smith (2,567 yards in 2007) and Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon (2,587 yards in 2014).
At 5-foot-9 and 215 pounds, Jeanty rushed for just 39 yards on 13 carries in the first half as the Broncos trailed 17-7. Penn State’s defense, one of the best in the nation this season, kept Jeanty from finding much space, with many players tackling him on most plays.
“It wasn’t really that they did anything extraordinary,” Jeanty said. “They executed and tackled.”
Jeanty managed to break free for a 26-yard gain early in the fourth quarter with the Broncos down 24-14. It helped set up a potential scoring drive, but Jonah Dalmas missed a 38-yard field goal attempt that would have brought Boise State within one possession.
Jeanty struggled because Boise State was always trying to catch up. They were behind throughout the game and had to depend more on quarterback Maddux Madsen and the passing game.
It didn’t work out. Madsen threw for 304 yards and a touchdown but also had three interceptions.
Jeanty also lost a fumble in the first quarter, his third fumble of the season.
“We didn’t play our best. I didn’t take care of the ball,” Jeanty said. “That’s why we weren’t able to get the job done.”
Even though the season ended on a disappointing note, Jeanty’s performance was one of the best ever for a college running back. He ran for over 100 yards in all 14 games and went over 200 yards six times, leading his team to 12 wins and a second straight Mountain West title.
“They re-established the standard of Boise to be a light on the hill to the country that had been lost for a little bit,” coach Danielson said. “I’m so proud of them for doing that. That’s a legacy that can never be taken from them.”
