Following its 10-2 regular season, Penn State football finds out which bowl game it’ll play in when the College Football Playoff committee releases its final rankings beginning at noon on Sunday. Most projections have the Nittany Lions playing in the Peach Bowl for the first time in program history, but trips to the Fiesta Bowl or Cotton Bowl have also been predicted as a second consecutive New Year’s Six appearance appears likely.

Our staffers took a stab at where they think Penn State will play in about a month’s time.

Matt Brown: Peach Bowl vs. Missouri

After its inception in 1968, the Peach Bowl has hosted countless classics throughout the years. Unfortunately, Penn State has been a part of none of those classics as it has never played in the Peach Bowl. It was invited in 1970 but denied, however, I think this year it will happily accept a trip to Atlanta.

A 10-2 record with the only losses being to the current Nos. 2 and 6 seed in the College Football Playoff, should get you in a New Year’s Six game, and I think it’s time for the Nittany Lions to play for the George P. Crumbley Trophy. Who they play is still up in the air, but I think they’ll get matched up with the Missouri Tigers. Penn State, like the Tigers, went 10-2. Mizzou had two losses to Georgia and LSU, two teams that are some of the best teams in the country. I think this will be a very even and fair matchup for the Nittany Lions against an SEC offense, which will be a true test for their defense. To be honest, as long as they don’t play the best non-Power 5 team, I could care less who they play.

Aidan Conrad: Peach Bowl vs. Missouri

I believe that Alabama will upset Georgia in the SEC Championship which will grant the Crimson Tide a playoff berth, leaving a spot for Missouri to play Penn State in the Peach Bowl. If Penn State wins the Peach Bowl, it would be the first school to win all six New Year’s Six games, so I would be cheering for that storyline. A matchup against Missouri would be a great SEC offense against an elite Big Ten defense. This matchup would likely not get the national attention as much as other New Year’s Six games but likely could be the most entertaining once it’s all said and done.

Cooper Cazares: Peach Bowl vs. Tulane

Penn State will be heading to Atlanta to play Tulane in the Peach Bowl on December 30. The at-large Big Ten Nittany Lions will face the predicted Group of Five champions the Green Wave.

The Nittany Lions have never competed in the Peach Bowl, giving the event’s CEO a chance to have a fresh team take the field. Although the thought of a Big Ten-SEC matchup against Alabama is a favorable matchup for football fans everywhere, the predicted Group of Five champion Tulane will probably take the spot. The bowl game hosted the Group of Five champion in 2021 when Georgia played Cincinnati.

Mitchell Corcoran: Peach Bowl vs. Missouri

I think Penn State will play Missouri in the Peach Bowl. Penn State has never played in the Peach Bowl before and matching up with an SEC school would make for some great football. If Penn State were to play Missouri in Atlanta, it would gather great viewership even though it’s a noon game.

Cadyn Gill: Cotton Bowl vs. Texas

I think the Nittany Lions will be taking on the Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl for their bowl game this year. I don’t see the Longhorns making the College Football Playoff, which puts them in one of the four remaining New Year’s Six bowl games.

Putting the best defense in football in AT&T Stadium to clash with a team as iconic as the Longhorns would be a brilliant matchup and probably the most entertaining non-College Football Playoff matchup. Tulane, Missouri, Oregon, and Louisville all had good seasons, but I think it would be a mistake to have them play blue-blood programs like Texas, Alabama, or Ohio State. Penn State can put up the best fight against the best non-College Football Playoff teams and frankly deserves a spot against one of them. This is a chance for the Nittany Lions to prove they belong at the top of the college football food chain since it’s had to play in arguably the hardest conference in the country with Michigan and Ohio State in recent years. If the selection committee wants competitive, entertaining bowl games, Penn State-Texas in Jerry World should be first on the list.

Alex Smith: Cotton Bowl vs. Missouri

I think Penn State will compete in the Cotton Bowl. Penn State and the Cotton Bowl have a lot of history, so I feel like it would just make sense for Penn State to go back to Arlington, Texas ,for the first time since its victory over Memphis in 2019. I think it will face the Missouri Tigers. I personally hope for this since my favorite teacher attended Missouri for a journalism degree! Shoutout Mr. Hughes!

Fernando Martinez: Cotton Bowl vs. Texas

Begin making your plans for December 29 because Penn State will be playing a New Year’s Six bowl game, and I think it will be the Cotton Bowl.

The Nittany Lions’ season didn’t go as planned, but this team still has a strong resume to earn a bid to a New Year’s Six bowl game. They have 10 wins this season with their best one against a ranked Iowa team that won the Big Ten West. Their two losses weren’t bad, as they lost to two of the best six teams in the country by less than 10 points. Finishing No. 10 in the College Football Playoff rankings should be enough to earn a trip to the Cotton Bowl.

It’ll be the Cotton Bowl because I don’t think there will be a lot of chaos in championship week to shake up everything in the college football landscape. With that in mind, that would put Ohio State in the Orange Bowl and Missouri in the Peach Bowl. With those bowls out of the equation, the last two options would be the Cotton Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl. The Cotton Bowl would be the perfect fit for the Nittany Lions because this bowl takes place in AT&T Stadium, and they are a highly-recognized football program in the country which will attract plenty of people to watch this bowl game. I expect them to face Texas, which would be a juicy matchup at Jerry World.

CJ Doebler: Peach Bowl vs. Alabama

After the 10-2 season, it appears the Nittany Lions have a good chance to end up in a New Year’s Six bowl game. Coming in at No. 10 in this week’s College Football Playoff rankings, I see Penn State heading to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to compete in the Peach Bowl. Penn State has two potential problems in Oklahoma State and Iowa this week as a win from either of those teams would likely push Penn State out of the New Year’s Six because of automatic bids for conference champions. I don’t think conference championship weekend will be full of many surprises, though, and I think Penn State will find itself in Atlanta come December 30.

Nolan Wick: Peach Bowl vs. Alabama

I want this matchup. You want this matchup. America wants this matchup. That’s why Penn State will play Alabama in the Peach Bowl at noon on December 30.

From a ratings standpoint, this game makes sense with two large fanbases tuning in. While it’s a three-hour drive from Tuscaloosa to Atlanta, Penn State fans will also have a good turnout since it’s an east coast venue. It would be the first time the Nittany Lions play in the Peach Bowl and the first time these storied programs face each other since 2011, which makes a great case for this to be Penn State’s fate.

Joe Lister: Peach Bowl vs. Tulane

Is this the worst possible option? Yes. Is this the most affordable option? Also yes. Personally, I don’t just think that Penn State will play Tulane in the Peach Bowl. I also hope Penn State will play Tulane in the Peach Bowl.

I have no real rhyme or reason as to why I think Penn State will find its way to Atlanta to play Tulane, it just will. It’s a cool bowl game that wants the Nittany Lions, but it will still find a way to also host a really boring team (sorry to the one Tulane fan I know). Playing Alabama (if it’s not in the playoff), Oregon (if it’s not in the playoff), Texas (if it’s not in the playoff), or Washington (if it’s not in the playoff) would be really cool. I just don’t think it’s going to happen.