Penn State Football heading to Tampa Bay to take on Arkansas Razorbacks in the Outback Bowl

Penn State Football finally has their answer as to where they will play their bowl matchup for the 2021 season, and it will be the Outback Bowl against the #21 Arkansas Razorbacks (8-4) at 12:00 (noon) on January 1st.

Penn State Football will be playing on New Year’s Day, heading to Tampa Bay to take on Arkansas in the Outback Bowl.

This might come as a surprise to some fans, who were probably more prepared for the Vegas Bowl or the Pinstripe Bowl, but it may actually be quite fitting given the way both teams’ seasons have played out.

After starting the season unranked, the Razorbacks soared to 4-0 start that included ranked wins over Texas and Texas A&M, and a ranking as high as eighth in the country. They then went on to lose 3 straight games. Sound familiar?

This will be the first ever meeting on the gridiron between the Nittany Lions and the Razorbacks, so there is no history between the two. Although, Penn State Football leads virtually every comparable category, including all-time record, bowl wins, and NFL Draft picks.

The Outback Bowl is played at Raymond James Stadium, home of the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers (as well as the USF Bulls). The stadium holds over 65,000 fans, and surely over half of them will be dressed in white in support of the Nittany Lions.

Raymond James Stadium has hosted the Outback Bowl since 1999, as well as hosting three Super Bowls (mostly recently last year), and also the 2017 National Championship game.

The Nittany Lions first played in the Outback Bowl back in 1996 against Auburn, and have a 3-1 record in the game, most recently falling to the Urban Meyer led Florida Gators, following the 2010 season.

Offensively, Arkansas averages 31.5 points, 223.6 passing yards, and 217.3 rush yards per game (13th nationally). Their offense is led by Treylon Burks, one of the best wide receivers in the SEC.

On defense, the Razorbacks allow 24 points, 215.5 passing yards, and 155.9 rush yards per game. Linebacker Bumper Pool, who is second in the SEC with 120 total tackles on the season, is the leader of the Arkansas defense.

Penn State Football and Arkansas do have a common opponent this season, as both teams hosted the Auburn Tigers. The Nittany Lions held on to beat the Tigers 28-0 in front of a White Out crowd in week 3, while the Razorbacks lost 38-23 to their SEC West counterpart in mid-October.

Arkansas will surely be favored in this matchup, the question is by how much?

It will be a perfect opportunity for Penn State Football to pull off an upset and pick up their second SEC win of the season, sending the seniors out with a win and providing a springboard into the offseason.