Penn State’s bowl picture looks a lot different now than it did a few weeks ago.
The Nittany Lions, who were staring at a rough finish not long ago, have steadied themselves with back-to-back wins over Purdue, 31-17, and Washington, 28-25. That surge has pushed Penn State to 5-4 and left it one victory shy of bowl eligibility, with a real shot to keep rolling the rest of the way.
The numbers back up the turnaround. ESPN’s FPI gives Penn State a 62.6 percent chance to win out, a huge jump from 32.8 percent last week.
Only Notre Dame has a better chance to run the table. ESPN also says the Nittany Lions have a 99.7 percent chance to reach six wins and lock up a bowl berth.
If Penn State gets there, the projections are spread across several destinations.
ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura and Mark Schlabach both send Penn State to Charlotte for the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, though they split on the opponent. Bonagura has a rematch of last year’s Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson, while Schlabach projects a matchup with Duke, now coached by former Penn State defensive coordinator Manny Diaz.
Athlon Sports also lands Penn State in Charlotte for the Duke’s Mayo Bowl, but with Louisville waiting the day after Christmas.
Other outlets see the Nittany Lions headed farther afield. The Athletic’s Scott Dochterman projects a trip to Nashville for the Music City Bowl against South Carolina on Dec.
- Sports Illustrated’s Bryan Fischer has Penn State going west to Tempe, Arizona, for the Cactus Bowl on Dec. 26 against West Virginia.
CBS Sports offers a Boston angle, sending Penn State to the Fenway Bowl on Dec. 26 against East Carolina, the old team of star wideout Chase Sowell, who spent two seasons there.
College Football News has the Nittany Lions headed to the First Responder Bowl in the Lone Star State, where they’d face North Texas on Jan. 2.
In Other News...
Penn State Fans Finally Got An Encouraging Jack Ham Update
Jack Hams absence from the Penn State-Washington buildup was felt well beyond the broadcast booth, because the Penn State legend has long been one of the most recognizable voices attached to the program. Ahead of the game in Seattle, Ham experienced a medical emergency and was treated at the University of Washington Medical Center, prompting immediate concern from around the Penn State community.
Penn State athletics later confirmed that Ham is in stable condition, a reassuring development after a tense stretch for fans and those close to the program. Coach Matt Campbell and the broadcasters also offered updates and support for Ham and his family, underscoring how quickly the situation drew attention from both the football side and the radio side of Penn State life. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Big Ten Position Suddenly Feels More Complicated
Week 10 did not give the Big Ten much help in sorting itself out. With Ohio State and Oregon both working through backup quarterbacks, and several league powers already dealing with injuries at the games most important position, the conferences pecking order has become harder to read than it looked a month ago. Even the teams that entered the year with the brightest expectations, including Ohio State, Indiana and Michigan, have had to navigate the ripple effects of quarterback uncertainty.
For Penn State, that makes the margin for error feel even thinner as the season heads into its late stretch. The Nittany Lions are still part of the conversation near the top of the league, but the recent shakeups around them have changed the backdrop of that race and made every result carry a little more weight. Add in the coaching changes and the shifting outlooks across the conference, and the Big Ten suddenly looks less like a clean hierarchy and more like a week-to-week argument. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State Found An Intriguing New Defender In Its Washington Win
Penn State got a useful look at Ibn McDaniels in the win over Washington, and the freshman defender made the most of it. He played 16 snaps, came away with a key interception and drew praise from coach Matt Campbell, a promising sign for a player whose role had been limited since Big Ten play began. In a game where the Nittany Lions were also managing snap counts and keeping an eye on player health and performance, McDaniels stood out as one of the more encouraging developments.
For a Penn State defense that has leaned on its regular rotation, McDaniels involvement was notable because it came in meaningful game action rather than late-game cleanup duty. The staff has been careful with how it distributes snaps, but this was the kind of outing that can change a young players trajectory if it leads to more trust going forward. Whether his interception becomes the start of a larger role is still to be seen, but it gave the Nittany Lions another intriguing option to evaluate. [Read more 🡒]