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Penn State bowl projections: Where are the Lions projected before the final regular season game?

Greg Pickelby: Greg Pickel11/22/23GregPickel
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(Credit: Steve Manuel)

Penn State will fight to keep its New Year’s Six bowl game hopes alive on Friday night. That’s when it takes on Michigan State at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. The Lions are a nearly three-touchdown favorite. A victory will not automatically send them to one of the nation’s premier postseason games. But, it would put the team on the right path to end up in one of those contests, in all likelihood.

Here’s a look at the latest bowl projections ahead of the final week of the regular season.

Penn State bowl projections ahead of Week 12

Mark Schlabach, ESPN: PSU vs. Washington in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.

Kyle Bonagura, ESPN: Penn State vs. Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.

Andy Staples, On3: PSU vs. Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.

Jerry Palm, CBS Sports: PSU vs. Missouri in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 30.

College Football News: PSU vs. Washington in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.

Athlon Sports: PSU vs. Missouri in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 30.

Saturday Tradition: Penn State vs. Tulane in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.

Brett McMurphy, Action Network: PSU vs. Tulane in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 30.

Joe Tansey, Bleacher Report: PSU vs. Alabama in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 29.

The Athletic: PSU vs. Texas in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 29.

USA Today: PSU vs. Washington in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1.

Bill Bender, Sporting News: PSU vs. Tulane in the Peach Bowl on Dec. 30.

Where will the Lions end up?

The good news for Penn State and its fans is that the Lions seem to be locked into a New Year’s Six bowl. The bad news for fans is that if you are hoping to get a jumpstart on the travel planning process, you may need to book a few more hotels and/or flights than you prefer. This week’s predictions are all over the board. We sided with the Peach Bowl last week. We lean that way again this week despite many national reporters now slotting the Lions to the Fiesta Bowl.

It’s not out of the question to think the CFP committee will end up sending Penn State to Arizona. It has not been there since 2017. But, it has been out west much more recently, as it played in and won the Rose Bowl last year. Will the committee keep that in mind when debating where to put the Lions? It should. But, factors like the best possible matchups for television plus conference tie-ins come into play, too.

With all that said, we’re sticking with the Peach. But, the Fiesta or Cotton are not crazy, unrealistic possibilities, either.

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