The Latest Penn State Bowl Projections
Penn State football likely is headed to its fifth New Year's 6 bowl appearance in eight years. But where?The Lions (10-2) are eligible for three New Year's 6 bowl games: the Fiesta, Cotton and Peach bowls, all of which feature at-large teams. Where Penn State ranks in Tuesday's edition of the College Football Playoffs will offer the first glimpse of Penn State's bowl future.
The Peach Bowl remains Penn State's most-projected destination as college football nears championship weekend, which still could impact where the Nittany Lions finish their season.
Let's look at the prospects in order of likelihood.
Peach Bowl
When: Noon ET Dec. 30
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Why: Of its 52 bowl appearances, Penn State has never played in the Peach Bowl. As a result, the event's CEO would love to see the Nittany Lions in Atlanta for the first time. Penn State fits well in Atlanta as a travel and television partner and could produce an intriguing Big Ten-SEC matchup.
Potential opponents: Alabama, Missouri, Tulane. The Peach Bowl last hosted the Group of 5 qualifier during the 2020 season. It might have a strong argument for a Big Ten-SEC matchup by pairing Penn State with either Missouri or Alabama, assuming the Crimson Tide falls to Georgia in the SEC title game.
Cotton Bowl
When: 8 p.m. ET Dec. 29
Where: AT&T Stadium, Irving, Texas
Why: Though Penn State played here in 2019, a return is possible based on the qualify of potential matchups. Penn State could play Texas, Alabama or Missouri in this game, any of which would be an intriguing game. The Lions also could land here to prevent a Texas-Alabama rematch or an Alabama-Missouri SEC game.
Potential opponents: Texas would be a strong option. The Cotton Bowl hosted Tulane last season (a memorable 46-45 upset of USC) and is unlikely to get the Group of 5 team in consecutive seasons.
Fiesta Bowl
When: 1 p.m. ET Jan. 1
Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
Why: We've downgraded the Fiesta Bowl based on this from Rich Scarcella of the Reading Eagle. The Fiesta Bowl has hosted the Group of 5 team twice as an at-large entrant, while the Peach and Cotton bowls have hosted them three times. It seems, then, that this would be the Fiesta Bowl's turn in the final season of the current bowl iteration. Penn State vs. Tulane, or another Group of 5 representative, makes more sense in Atlanta than in Arizona.
Potential opponents: Washington, Oregon, Tulane. The Pac-12 championship game loser likely lands here, though the Cotton Bowl is an option as well. Tulane also could land in the Fiesta Bowl, which hasn't hosted the Group of 5 at-large representative since the 2018 season.
Cheez-It Citrus Bowl
When: 1 p.m. ET Jan. 1
Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Why: Conference championship-game upsets. Penn State could fall from NY6 eligibility if Iowa defeats Michigan in the Big Ten title game and/or Oklahoma State upends Texas in the Big 12 title game. Those teams then would earn automatic bids to the New Year's 6, reducing the number of at-large spots available.
Potential opponents: The Citrus Bowl is a Big Ten-SEC game. Ole Miss (10-2) or LSU (9-3) are the likely representatives.
Penn State Bowl Projections
The latest projections favor the Nittany Lions in the Peach Bowl. Jerry Palm of CBS Sports projects Penn State vs. Missouri, while Action Network's Brett McMurphy has Penn State playing Tulane. The Sporting News' Bill Bender also projects a Penn State-Tulane Peach Bowl, as does 247Sports and The Athletic. At FanNation's College Football HQ, it's a Penn State-Missouri matchup in Atlanta.
ESPN's bowl projections, however, send Penn State elsewhere. Kyle Bonagura projects Penn State to the Cotton Bowl against Texas, while Mark Schlabach has Penn State playing Washington in the Fiesta Bowl.
At Fox Sports, it's Penn State vs. Missouri in the Cotton Bowl. Bleacher Report also projects the Lions to the Cotton Bowl but against Alabama instead.
Meanwhile, On3's Andy Staples suggests that the College Football Playoff committee could revisit its previous rankings and perhaps move Ole Miss or Oklahoma above Penn State. If that happens, the Lions could fall out of a New Year's 6 bowl and head to Orlando. As a result, Tuesday's rankings, the last before Selection Sunday, will be an interesting stage-setter for the weekend.
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