Penn State Inches Upward in the CFP Rankings
Penn State improved one spot to No. 14 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, inching closer to a potential New Year's 6 bowl berth.
With three regular-season games remaining, Penn State (7-2) has a chance to qualify for its fourth New Year's 6 game under head coach James Franklin. The Lions will need some teams above them to lose, particularly in the SEC and Pac-12, but nevertheless are well positioned for an invitation to the Orange, Cotton or even Rose bowls.
The Lions are ranked behind five SEC teams (Georgia, Tennessee, LSU, Alabama and Ole Miss) and four Pac-12 teams (Oregon, USC, Utah and UCLA). Of course, several of those teams are guaranteed to los. Alabama meets Ole Miss on Saturday, USC plays UCLA, Utah plays Oregon and LSU has a potential date in the SEC title game.
Penn State's path to the Rose Bowl would require a Big Ten first: two teams, Ohio State and Michigan, qualifying for the College Football Playoff. In that case, Penn State most likely would earn the Big Ten's Rose Bowl invite.
The Lions would qualify for the Cotton or Orange bowls based on ranking. The Orange Bowl will pair the highest-ranked team from the SEC, Big Ten or No. 20 Notre Dame against an ACC representative. The Cotton Bowl will match the CFP's Group of 5 representative with the highest-ranked available opponent.
Penn State is on the outside following Week 2 of the College Football Playoff rankings but nonetheless remains in great position for an NY6 bid.
Penn State hosts Maryland at 3:30 p.m. Saturday on FOX.
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