With Penn State sitting at 3-0 on the year following a resounding win over Auburn, the Nittany Lions head back to State College for back-to-back games at home and a chance to finally settle into the long grind of the season. After starting the year with two out of their first three contests on the road, the Nittany Lions now have a chance to stay inside the Keystone State for 26 days before traveling to Michigan to face the Wolverines. In that span Penn State will take on Central Michigan this weekend and Northwestern the following week before heading into the off week.
All things considered Penn State should head to Michigan having started the season at 5-0 for the second-straight year. In turn all eyes will be on Ann Arbor as the Big Ten East race heats up in a pivotal October for the conference. In the meanwhile bowl projections will continue to pour in with Penn State in the thick of things for some of the game’s most prestigious postseason competitions outside the playoffs.
Sporting News and Action Network: Rose Bowl against USC
Time is a big flat circle. USC has been putting up points at will so far this year and Penn State need to get used to facing this future Big Ten opponent so there’s no time like the present. Lincoln Riley has his new team playing good football and this would certainly be a test for the Nittany Lions. Then again if Penn State makes it to the Rose Bowl then they’ll be a good test for the Trojans. Never say no to the Rose Bowl.
Sports Illustrated: Cotton Bowl against Tulane
With all due respect to Tulane and its fantastic mascot, it would be a bit of a shame if Penn State goes to the Cotton Bowl twice and plays a fringe team as a result. It was a fun game last time around against Memphis, but this would make the Auburn game the most interesting out-of-conference moment of the year when you really hope for something more interesting in a bowl. Who’s to say this game couldn’t become more interesting over time, but this one doesn’t do Penn State any favors.
247 Network and ESPN: Orange Bowl against Clemson
Clemson is popping up again for the second-straight week and you could do a lot worse than facing Clemson in Miami. If you’re looking for a new bowl and a new opponent for Penn State to cross off the list for the past decade, this would be the one that checks off all the boxes. The Orange Bowl is great, Clemson is a new opponent and Penn State could use a game like this to springboard into the presumed Drew Allar years. This would likely be Sean Clifford’s last dance, and for the up-and-down career he has been part of. Sending the longtime quarterback out on this stage would be a fitting final chapter.
