Boise State has taken that long-awaited next step, earning a spot in the College Football Playoff for the first time, 17 years after a program-shifting win. Awaiting the No. 8 Broncos in the desert is another team that made a breakthrough.

We have reached the College Football Playoff quarterfinals and have some really intriguing games on the schedule. After a rough first round, many are hoping that these games live up to all the hype surrounding the 12-team playoff.

The quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff begin on New Year's Eve at the Fiesta Bowl as (3) Boise State takes on (6) Penn State. And just in case advancing in the playoff wasn't enough, it's also a battle between two teams that have never lost a Fiesta Bowl.

A spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals is on the line when third-seeded Boise State faces No. 6 seed Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl.

The first College Football Playoff quarterfinal will feature Penn State and Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Breaking down the keys to the game.

When Boise State’s team plane landed in Arizona on Saturday, many players were sporting black T-shirts with the phrase “Please Count Us Out.” The four words came from head coach Spencer Danielson during last week’s press conference ahead of the Fiesta Bowl.