Where Penn State Lands in the Latest College Football Bowl Projections

The 2025 Big Ten bowl schedule

The Big Ten has contracts with seven bowl games, all of which will be played before New Year's Day.

Unfortunately, this year's Big Ten's tie-in games 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

Penn State's 37-10 win over Nebraska moved it up the list regarding bowl projections. Penn State is now a solid contender for several bowl games, including one that might seem out of reach.

Sports Illustrated welcomes Penn State "back to the postseason picture" with a projected matchup with Pitt in the Pinstripe Bowl. The Athletic suggests a Pitt-Penn State matchup at Yankee Stadium, as does Brett McMurphy of On3.

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. A neutral-site bowl game vs. Pitt would be a fascinating place to determine who values the rivalry more.

ESPN's Mark Schlabach and Kyle Bonagura both project Penn State to the GameAbove Sports Bowl on Dec. 26 in Detroit. Schlabach has Penn State playing Ohio, and Bonagura picks at Penn State-Western Michigan game.

Brad Crawford of CBS Sports also predicts that Penn State will face Ohio at Ford Field. Count Athlon Sports in the Penn State-Ohio camp for Detroit as well.

One game missing from the projections is the Music City Bowl. Penn State has never played there, and an SEC matchup in Nashville might energize the Nittany Lions fan base more than a trip to Detroit vs. a MAC program.

Will the Nittany Lions play in a bowl game?

Before the Nebraska game, Smith said that one player asked whether the team would have bowl practice the weekend of Dec. 6. He pointed that out to suggest that most of the roster wants to play in a bowl game.

"I would anticipate that our guys are going to play," Smith said. "I'm sure there may be a one-off or a two-off here or there with some type of circumstance. We'll just work through that. I have full anticipation our guys are going to play."

Penn State's players can't officially enter the transfer portal until Jan. 2, though they can provide notice of intent to the staff. Under Franklin, players who decided to enter the portal left the team immediately. However, Smith said he doesn't have that policy in place.

"We're in a little bit different situation," Smith said. "... We're in full support of our locker room. We're encouraging our guys to keep an open mind. We don't know what's next, so the most important
thing is that we go play hard Saturday, put on film what you want anybody to know about you on Saturday. We'll cross that bridge when it comes."

Penn State visits Rutgers at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. Big Ten Network will televise.