Penn State coach James Franklin left Ford Field on Black Friday gently lobbying his team for a New Year’s 6 bowl berth. The conference championship-game results most likely secured one for the Nittany Lions. The question now is, where is Penn State football headed for the postseason?
How about to a date with two-time defending national champ Georgia? It’s one of the possibilities the College Football Playoff selection committee will consider Sunday when it determines the playoff teams and remaining New Year’s 6 bowl games. Penn State (10-2) will play in either the Cotton, Peach or Fiesta bowl, though the opponent remains an enticing mystery. Georgia? Missouri? Ole Miss? Liberty as the Group of 5 champion?
Here’s a look at Penn State’s top bowl options and how to plan your Selection Sunday.
WHICH BOWL GAME IS PENN STATE GOING TO THIS YEAR?
As noted, Penn State is eligible for three New Year’s 6 bowl games: the Fiesta, Cotton and Peach. The Lions also could play in the Citrus Bowl, though that would require the selection committee elevating Ole Miss and Oklahoma above them in the final rankings. Which is extremelye unlikely to happen. Penn State’s bowl destination will depend heavily on the matchup. For instance, one projection has Penn State playing Georgia, the former No. 1 that lost to Alabama in the SEC championship game. Which was played in Atlanta, site of the Peach Bowl. Georgia also played in two of the last three Peach Bowl games, including the 2022 semifinal against Michigan. The CFP selection committee could produce a Penn State-Georgia matchup but shift it to the Cotton Bowl, giving Georgia a change of venue.
Still, Penn State’s most likely destinations appear to be the Peach Bowl (Dec. 30) or the Cotton Bowl (Dec. 29). Remember that the Peach Bowl CEO has been lobbying for Penn State for two weeks.
WHO COULD PENN STATE PLAY IN THE BOWL GAME?
The Nittany Lions’ most likely opponents are Missouri, Georgia, Ole Miss or the Group of 5 champion, which remains another fascinating decision the selection committee must make. Penn State’s opponent will hinge on the final two playoff selections. Michigan and Washington are in the semifinals. The committee then will debate Florida State, Texas, Alabama and Georgia for the remaining two spots.
If Georgia doesn’t make the playoff field as the No. 5 seed, according to CFP rulebook, it would be the contract team for the Orange Bowl as the highest-ranked Big Ten or SEC team. However, the Orange Bowl might consider negotiating a swap for Ohio State, since it hasn’t hosted a Big Ten team in a non-playoff bowl game since Wisconsin in 2017. And Ohio State hasn’t been to the Orange Bowl in 10 years.
THE LATEST PENN STATE BOWL PROJECTIONS
At CBS Sports, Jerry Palm likes Penn State vs. Georgia in the Peach Bowl. As does 247Sports.
Action Network’s Brett McMurphy and the Sporting News project Penn State to the Peach against Liberty as the Group of 5 representative. Liberty (13-0) won the Conference USA title. The Athletic also projects Penn State in the Peach Bowl against a Group of 5 opponent. However, the opponent is SMU, which defeated Tulane in the American Athletic Conference title game.
WHEN WILL THE BOWL GAMES BE ANNOUNCED?
ESPN is scheduled to unveil the four College Football playoff teams and matchups for the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl at 12:15 p.m. The remainder of the CFP Top 25 and the New Year’s 6 bowls will be released at 2:30 p.m.