Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1482664
6 6 N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 2 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M P enn State secured bowl eligibil- ity by throttling Minnesota on Oct. 22 at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions turned in one of their best performances of the year, even if a slow start meant that it took longer than needed to put the Golden Gophers away. "It was a good win," coach James Franklin said during his postgame news conference. "It was a great environ- ment with a ton of recruits there who are going to have a huge impact on our future. "If you look at our roster and you talk to players, which I know you guys have, how many of them have been to the White Out and said, 'I want to play in that type of environment.' "So, for a lot of different reasons, this win was important." The Lions were always going to secure a postseason berth. That was never in doubt. Now, all that's left to figure out is which game Penn State will play in. The College Football Playoff is all but out of the equation. According to ES- PN's Football Power Index, the Lions' odds of making the final four stood at less than 2 percent following a 41-17 loss at Michigan, A New Year's Six game, however, is absolutely on the table. In fact, it might be the most likely outcome considering both the Buckeyes and Michigan could be playoff bound. That scenario would open up the Rose Bowl as a possibility. And even if a trip to Pasadena isn't in the cards, the Orange Bowl in Miami is another potential destination. Multiple bowl experts slotted the Lions there prior to their 6-1 start, and that isn't changing now. Other sites for the New Year's Six games include the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, the Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix and the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, at the Dallas Cowboys' stadium. There is much to be gained by play- ing in one of the bowls that are picked by the College Football Playoff com- mittee. For starters, the games are all played in marquee viewing windows and are televised nationally for recruits all over to see. Then, there is the simple but im- portant fact that winning one of those games is a big prestige booster, one that sets the tone for months of offsea- son discourse. Even losing a New Year's Six game has its perks. People still talk about the USC-Penn State thriller seven years later. It undoubtedly boosted the pro- gram's stock on the national scene and contributed to recruiting wins for years to come. Then, there is the current roster de- velopment aspect. Penn State will have many new faces playing prominent roles next year in addition to the ones who already are doing so. We're not dismissing the gains that players get from being involved in, say, the Citrus Bowl. But, playing in the Or- ange or Rose Bowl offers a greater sense of what games at the biggest stages are like. Think of what freshmen such as running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen and linebacker Ab- dul Carter could gain by being on that field. What the Lions need to do to get invited to one of those parties is pretty simple: win everything after the Ohio State game. The Nittany Lions' sched- ule sets them up for that possibility. Penn State will be a sizable favorite in every November game it plays and, barring injuries, will have no excuse to lose any of them. New Year's Six bowls energize the enormous Penn State fan base. It goes without saying that playing in those games helps build and maintain fan mo- rale, which helps in so many different ways, from fundraising for facilities to name, image and likeness opportunities. All of these reasons are why Penn State must keep pushing to make a New Year's Six game. The Lions have every reason to return to one for the first time since 2019. But, as always, they must earn the invite on the field first. ■ O P I N I O N GREG PICKEL GREG.PICKEL@ON3.COM There's Still A Lot At Stake THE LAST WORD Freshman players such as running back Nicholas Singleton would be among the biggest beneficiaries of a berth in a New Year's Six bowl game. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE