10/4/2021 football Edit

Penn State football bowl projections: Where Lions are slotted before Week 6

Greg Pickel • Happy Valley Insider

Staff

Penn State's postseason aspirations will be put to the test on Saturday at Iowa.

The Nittany Lions are No. 4 in the country, according to both The Associated Press and the USA Today Coaches Poll top-25 rankings, while the Hawkeyes are No. 3. The winner won't be guaranteed a spot in either the Big Ten conference title game or the College Football Playoff, but the outcome of the game will certainly impact both.

With all that said, it's time to see where the experts have the Nittany Lions playing after the regular season ahead of Week 6.

Penn State coach James Franklin stands on the sideline during the Nittany Lions' win over Indiana. AP photo/Barry Reeger

Expert bowl projections

Stewart Mandel of The Athletic: Orange Bowl (CFP semifinal) vs. Georgia

Jerry Palm of CBS Sports: Rose Bowl vs. Oregon

College Football News Staff: Peach Bowl vs. BYU

Kyle Bonagua of ESPN: Cotton Bowl (CFP semifinal) vs. Georgia

Mark Schlabach of ESPN: Rose Bowl vs. Oregon

Action Network: Orange Bowl (CFP semifinal) vs. Georgia

Saturday Tradition: Fiesta Bowl vs. BYU

Blue-White Illustrated's take

The Big Ten title race is not going to be over for Penn State regardless of what happens at Kinnick Stadium, because matchups with Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State are all still lurking in the East, of course.

That said, by beating the Hawkeyes, the Nittany Lions will only further cement their spot in a New Year's Six bowl game, and perhaps even the CFP for the first time. The fact that more than one of the experts now slot them in a semifinal says a lot about how this team is viewed nationally, and now it has another chance to add to its already impressive resume with a ranked road win.

Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. in Iowa City. FOX will televise the contest.