Boise State thrives in the underdog role.

Despite a first-round bye and No. 3 seed in the College Football Playoff, the Broncos feel overlooked. Many top analysts and media personalities predict that Penn State will easily defeat Boise State in this year’s Fiesta Bowl.

The Broncos are choosing to face this adversity head-on. They arrived at the Phoenix Airport on Saturday, December 28, wearing shirts that read “Please Count Us Out.” It’s hard to count out a team whose top weapon, running back Ashton Jeanty, finished second place in the Heisman voting. Many believe he should have won the nation’s top award over Colorado’s Travis Hunter.

Much of the criticism directed at Jeanty’s Heisman campaign was that Boise State plays in the Mountain West, a non-power conference. At the Fiesta Bowl’s media day on Sunday, Jeanty talked about how many fans unfairly doubt the team purely based on its conference.

“Nobody had us picked to come this far, but we’re here. We’re here to prove that we didn’t just make it, we’re here to win games,” Jeanty said.

Jeanty’s star power could be enough to propel the Broncos to a victory over the Nittany Lions. This season, he’s rushed for a staggering 2,497 yards, averaging 7.3 yards per carry and scoring 29 touchdowns. However, Jeanty and Boise State will face one looming obstacle in its playoff opener.

A feared Penn State defense. A Tom Allen defense with playmakers at all three levels.

The Nittany Lions rank seventh in the nation in rushing yards allowed per game, allowing an average of only 100.5 yards. Compare that to Boise State’s seven conference opponents this season, which collectively averaged 183.5 yards allowed per game.

The highest-ranked rushing defense that the Broncos faced this season was UNLV, ranked No. 24 on the list, 17 spots behind the Nittany Lions.

With the fifth-highest-ranked overall defense in college football, it’s no secret that Penn State will be Boise State’s biggest challenge to date. Ashton Jeanty understands the power that the Nittany Lions bring to the table.

“Just an explosive defense, obviously a lot of great guys,” Jeanty said. “They just all work together very well. They do a great job. To me, the strength of their defense is the front seven.”

Jeanty expressed his particular excitement to play against a high-caliber edge defender in Abdul Carter. The Broncos star sees the chance to face Carter and Penn State’s defense as an opportunity rather than as a concern.

“I want to play against the best competition. I want to perform and prove myself. Obviously, [Abdul] is a great player, so I know he’s gonna make great plays, but I’m gonna make great plays myself,” Jeanty said.

Beyond the nationally-praised Abdul Carter, Jeanty praised other weapons like Zane Durant and Kobe King as posing a threat to the Boise State offense. For many players, facing that caliber of defense would be daunting, but not only did Jeanty acknowledge Penn State’s defensive talent, he’s ready to face it head-on.

“The great athletes want to go against the best competition possible, and that’s me. I want to see the best competition,” Jeanty said. “We worked to play against the best teams in the country.”

Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen also expressed his respect for the Penn State defense, specifically acknowledging the talent the Nittany Lions have on their front seven.

“Those guys in the front are elite. What they do is they put people in tricky positions with the speed they play at,” Madsen said.

Boise State’s underdog status will be put to the test when it faces Penn State. Both teams will face challenges that are proportionately as grand as the stakes of the game itself.

The Nittany Lions will face one of the most talented running backs college football has seen in years. Boise State’s star running back will be confronted by the best defense he’s faced all season.

Though they see themselves as underdogs, the Broncos are ready for the challenge. Only time will tell if Abdul Carter and the Nittany Lions will be enough to keep Jeanty and the No. 3 team in the country at bay.