The College Football Playoff Quarter Final at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl teams have been revealed, No. 3 seed Boise State earned a first-round bye into the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl and now will battle the winner of No. 6 Penn State and No. 11 SMU. Before the Fiesta Bowl, the 2024 Rate Bowl will be played on Thursday, Dec. 26, at 3:30 p.m. in downtown Phoenix, Arizona at Chase Field.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Fiesta Bowl, Rate Bowl matchups decided as college football postseason returns to Arizona
Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee spoke to media for the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl selection today, about how excited the team is to have another opportunity to showcase the Mustangs’ program and show the country the explosive competition that was flexed in the fourth quarter against Clemson, where unfortunately SMU suffered a three-point loss Saturday, putting playoff hopes in limbo and spirit down.
“I probably didn’t feel great about it at all…, got on the bus, got on the plane, …to know that everyone saw what we felt, and to see the overwhelming support for SMU was a big deal, from people three days earlier that were saying we shouldn’t be the team that was in, that was cool so that gave us a little bit of hope”, Lashlee said.
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After a somber loss, great news came quickly for the 11-2 team when the Mustangs edged out the Alabama Crimson Tide for a College Football Playoff spot. The College Football Playoff committee took SMU’s wins over Alabama’s strength of schedule, announcing the Mustangs for the final big spot Sunday. Lashlee discussed his reaction after finding out that the team would have another opportunity for the Big 12 Championship.
????️ “I got emotional, just because I’m so happy for our guys.”
Coach Lashlee on the CFP selection show ???? #PonyUp pic.twitter.com/VciimrbkuU
— SMU Football (@SMUFB) December 8, 2024
“Pretty cool to see the Mustang pop up on the screen in the field…., the first-ever 12-team College Football playoffs, … our team earned it, deserves it, I think when you look at the consistency of performance for 12 weeks, plus the championship week. …you beat the teams you are supposed to beat, you play well in all the big games, and our team was able to do that for 13 weeks.”
Everyone loves a comeback. Time to hit the road and get after it—because we're going all the way. #PonyUpDallas pic.twitter.com/9p8FdkwbyU
— SMU (@SMU) December 8, 2024
If SMU beats 11–2 Penn State, SMU will join Boise State in the 2024 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, on Tuesday Dec. 31 at 5:30 p.m., at State Farm Stadium in Glendale.
To purchase tickets for either event visit the official Fiesta Bowl website.
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Jacqline Rhodes is a writer for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on X via @JackieRhodes_
