“He’s one of the best running backs in the history of college football.” At least 30 carries on average every time he has touched the gridiron. Ain’t no wonder Ashton Jeanty easily dismantles any team out there. Not only did he go for 3 rushing touchdowns against the No.1 team in the country, but the Broncos almost ended up winning that game. Dan Lanning has seen firsthand what Ashton Jeanty can do. “You know, he runs really, really physical,” was all Lanning could say as the Ducks defense struggled to stop him from running the football. It is pretty much safe to say that Ashton Jeanty made the Broncos relevant again. So when you are going up to face a team with such depth in the running corp, how do you deal with it to protect your natty run, James Franklin?

“And now he’s had three and a half weeks of rest. So you know, you’re gonna get a fresh number two, and that’s dangerous,” Joel Klatt gives his prediction about James Franklin’s fate. The Fiesta Bowl is going to be a treat. Not only is the 7th best defence going up against one of the strongest RBs in the game, but we are also going to find out if Franklin truly has what it takes to make the Lions the natty winners. But how do you do all this when “the best way to attack Penn State’s defense is running the football”?

See, Franklin and Co. have done a massive job at stopping run games. They have barely allowed teams to go past 3.1 yards per carry, and this ranks them in the 9th spot in the entire FBS. However, with Jeanty on the ship, Boise State is 2nd in the nation when it comes to yards per attempt. 6.3 on average.

And when you take that and pair it with the fact that the Broncos are averaging 250 yards in rushing (Top 5 in the nation), you get a dangerous combination. But the Lions ain’t gonna back down from a challenge, right?

“Stop the run, stop the play action pass that they do, and just win the game.” If the Broncos can run the football, Franklin and Co. know how to cut that run like a hot knife through butter. In FBS, the Lions have one of the best-run defenses, but it will be a 252lb defensive weapon that could end up being the key to stopping Jeanty!!

Bring forth Abdul Carter

40 tackles. 11 sacks. 2 forced fumbles. If there is anyone on the defense that could curb stomp Jeanty’s run then it is DE Abdul Carter. “The key is here you’re riding a high defensively. Abdul Carter is off the edge,” Tyler Donohue pointed out. 

Only 100 yards on rushing were given in the 14 games of the season. That is how good the defensive line has been against run-heavy teams. Practically the only team that could get past all of this was OSU, but even that was a close one-touchdown win for the Bucks.

With Carter in and the rest of the defensive corps all set to protect the natty run, this could end up being a very low-scoring game for the Broncos. However, if this guy could bring the Ducks to their knees (the same team Franklin has lost to), then how hard can it be dealing with the Lions?

We are going to find out when the unstoppable force finally meets the unmovable object.