Penn State's Bowl Projections Include 2 Potentially Intriguing Matchups

The Nittany Lions need to win their last two games to become bowl eligible.

Penn State Nittany Lions players pose with the Land Grant Trophy after defeating the Michigan State Spartans. | Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images

As sideways as Penn State's season has gone, Nittany Lions interim head coach Terry Smith evidently doesn't want it to end. He's looking forward to a potential bowl game, even with a team that could look very different in December.

"Tonight, we celebrate. Tomorrow, we reset," Smith said after the Nittany Lions' 28-10 win over Michigan State. "… "We have Nebraska coming [to Beaver Stadium on Nov. 22]. These games are pivotal. We’re playing for our life to make a bowl game and we took a huge step today getting back in the win column."

Penn State still must win its final two games, vs. Nebraska and at Rutgers, to be eligible to play in a bowl game. But if they get there, the Nittany Lions likely would find their best option at Yankee Stadium for the Pinstripe Bowl, where it played in 2014.

Here's a look at Penn State's bowl possibilities this season. Unfortunately, none involves mayonnaise or Pop-Tarts.

RELATED: How long should Penn State wait to hire a football coach?

The Big Ten bowl options

A general view of Raymond James Stadium before the start of the 2023 Reliaquest Bowl featuring the Illinois Fighting Illini and Mississippi State Bulldogs. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

The Big Ten has contracts with seven bowl games, all of which will be played before Dec. 31. Here's the list:

Game	Time/Date	Location	Teams
Game Above Sports Bowl	1 p.m. Dec. 26	Ford Field, Detroit	Big Ten vs. MAC
Rate Bowl	4:30 p.m. Dec. 26	Chase Field, Phoenix	Big Ten vs. Big 12
Pinstripe Bowl	Noon Dec. 27	Yankee Stadium	Big Ten vs. ACC
Music City Bowl	5:30 p.m. Dec. 30	Nissan Stadium, Nashville	Big Ten vs. SEC
ReliaQuest Bowl	Noon Dec. 31	Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Fla.	Big Ten vs. SEC
Citrus Bowl	3 p.m. Dec. 31	Camping World Stadium, Orlando	Big Ten vs. SEC
Las Vegas Bowl	3:30 p.m. Dec. 31	Allegiant Stadium	Big Ten vs. former Pac-12

This year, the Big Ten's tie-in games unfortunately do not include the Duke's Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, which pairs teams from the SEC vs. ACC. Nor does they include the always fun Pop-Tarts Bowl, scheduled for Dec. 27 in Orlando and featuring teams from the ACC and Big 12.

Penn State's bowl projections

A general view of Yankee Stadium prior to the 2022 Pinstripe Bowl between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Syracuse Orange. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Penn State didn't expect to be in this position this year — and it still isn't, considering the team needs two more wins to make a bowl game. But the Nittany Lions are appearing in some bowl projections nonetheless.

At 6-6, Penn State's most likely bowl destination would be the Pinstripe Bowl. Penn State played there once, in 2014, when James Franklin was a first-year head coach and the program had emerged from two seasons of bowl sanctions. The Nittany Lions beat Boston College 31-30 in overtime.

In fact, The Athletic projected Penn State in the Pinstripe Bowl before the Nittany Lions' 28-10 win over Michigan State. The Athletic also projected a compelling matchup vs. Pitt in Yankee Stadium. Penn State and Pitt last played in 2019, and the Nittany Lions won the last three games of the series.

But CBS aims higher. CBS believes that Penn State would get a huge boost from winning its last three games, projecting the team in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Fla. The former Outback Bowl pairs teams from the Big Ten and SEC. And CBS offers another intriguing matchup, pitting Penn State vs. Missouri.

A Penn State-Missouri bowl game could have multiple implications, particularly if Penn State poaches Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz to replace Franklin. Further, Missouri quarterback Beau Pribula, who began his career at Penn State, could be back from injury in time for the bowl game. Or he could be preparing to enter the transfer portal for his return to Penn State.

On3 also pitches the concept of a Penn State-Missouri game in the ReliaQuest Bowl. The teams have played just four times, the last in 1980.

Not everyone is sold on Penn State winning its last two games and getting to 6-6. Sports Illustrated left Penn State out of its most recent bowl projections, as did ESPN. On3's Brett McMurphy also didn't include Penn State in his projections, though that could change Saturday.

Penn State hosts Nebraska in its home finale Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on NBC.

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