Despite a down season in Happy Valley, Penn State will be ending its 2021 season with an appearance in a January 1 bowl game. Brett McMurphy of The Action Network reported, via Twitter, that Penn State will be playing in the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Outback Bowl on January 1, 2022. Most bowl game projections seemed to have Penn State slotted to play in the Music City Bowl, so a chance to play in a January 1 bowl is a tad surprising.
Arkansas vs. Penn State in @outbackbowl, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. Could be a one sell out w/Hogs making 1st Florida bowl since 2006
Live updates of every bowl matchup. Follow along here:https://t.co/qNeB1xqENu
appearance— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 5, 2021
The Razorbacks, under head coach Sam Pittman, were one of the biggest surprises in college football this year with a record of 8-4, including a 4-4 record in the SEC. Arkansas will also come into the game with a top 25 ranking in the final College Football Playoff standings. Arkansas finished the regular season ranked No. 22 in the AP Top 25 and No. 24 in the USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll.
Penn State and Arkansas have never faced each other in football before, so the Outback Bowl will be the first meeting between the two programs. Mississippi and Mississippi State will be the only two SEC schools Penn State has never faced after taking on the Razorbacks in the Outback Bowl.
Penn State is 24-23 all-time against current members of the SEC (does not include all-time record against future SEC members Oklahoma and Texas). But Penn State is looking to snap a losing streak in bowl games to the SEC. Penn State’s last three bowl games played against SEC schools have resulted in losses to Florida (2010 Outback Bowl), Georgia (2015 TaxSlayer Bowl), and Kentucky (2018 Citrus Bowl).
Penn State’s last bowl victory against an SEC school came in the 2009 Capital One Bowl against LSU.
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