This isn’t the NFL … Penn State Football still has plenty to play for
By Nick Kreiser
Penn State Football’s Bowl Eligibility
As was mentioned in the intro, this is not some rant about how cool it would be to run the table and play in the Citrus Bowl, or that winning the Cheez-It Bowl is significant for a program like Penn State.
At the end of the day, all (non-playoff) bowl games are just consolation games, however, in the wonderfully strange sport of college football, certain consolation games look a little better for that hypothetical four-star junior in high school trying to narrow down his list of potential schools.
Finishing 9-3 and beating an opponent ranked inside the top 20 in bowl season looks much better than finishing 7-5 and losing a much more inferior bowl game.
That extra game does a lot for the current players as well. First, it is another game against good competition that allows underclassmen the opportunity to develop as football players.
It also allows seniors and those who will be declaring for the NFL Draft a chance to finish their collegiate career on a high note.
Perhaps most importantly, a bowl game provides extra weeks of practice time, where coaches can begin installing new wrinkles to schemes for next season and get underclassmen valuable reps.
Reaching a ‘good’ bowl game and beating a good team in that game could be a great way to carry momentum into the offseason, which is when championships are won.