There were some changes to the national college football rankings while Penn State was enjoying some time off on the bye week. But the updated bowl projections still have a familiar look in the big picture. CBSSports.com college football writer Jerry Palm has updated his bowl projections for this current season following the results of Week 6, but Penn State is still in a familiar projection.
Palm has Penn State projected to play in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Dec. 30. The Nittany Lions are paired with Alabama in Palm’s updated projection. This is the same pairing Palm had in his bowl projections a week ago, so the results of this past weekend had no effect on Penn State’s or Alabama’s bowl outlook.
Both Penn State and Alabama would be in the Peach Bowl as at-large options. Projected Big Ten and SEC champions Michigan and Georgia, respectively, are in Palm’s current College Football Playoff projection. Georgia is paired with Texas and Michigan is lined up against Florida State in Palm’s projection. Texas would be in the playoff with one loss after losing this weekend against Oklahoma.
Penn State and Alabama would each miss out on an opportunity to play in the Orange Bowl in Palm’s projection. With North Carolina taking the ACC’s contracted spot in the bowl game in Miami, the other spot would go to the highest-ranked team from the Big Ten, SEC, or Notre Dame. Notre Dame just lost its second game of the year, so it appears the Fighting Irish are going to be in the rearview mirror for the other Orange Bowl slot. Instead, Palm has Ohio State in the Orange Bowl slot ahead of Penn State and Alabama.
According to Palm’s projection, it would seem Palm feels Penn State is on track for two losses with one to Ohio State and another to Michigan.
You can view all of Palm’s updated bowl projections via CBS Sports.
Penn State move dup one spot in this week’s US LBM Coaches Poll. The Nittany Lions return to action this week with a home game against UMass before traveling to Ohio State in Week 8.
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