Update at 12:51 p.m.
The Penn State football team is set to host SMU in their College Football Playoff game on Saturday, December 21, at noon, with coverage on TNT and Max. The victor of this match will go on to face Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Original story:
The No. 6-seeded Penn State Nittany Lions will welcome the No. 11-seeded SMU Mustangs to Beaver Stadium for their first playoff appearance since the College Football Playoff format expanded to 12 teams this season. The game is scheduled for either Friday, December 20, or Saturday, December 21, as announced by the committee.
This highly anticipated matchup follows a narrow defeat for Penn State, who lost 45-37 to No. 1 Oregon in the Big Ten Championship. A win in that game would have guaranteed them a first-round bye, but now they must secure a victory against SMU to advance and take on Boise State.
SMU enters this matchup with a strong 11-1 record, despite falling 34-31 to Clemson in the ACC Championship under the leadership of head coach Rhett Lashlee. Key players to watch include quarterback Kevin Jennings, running back Brashard Smith, and linebacker Kobe Wilson.
Historically, Penn State has played SMU twice, winning their 1978 matchup 26-21 and tying 13-13 in the 1948 Cotton Bowl.
For those interested in tickets, options for buying and selling are available online.
This playoff appearance is a significant milestone for Penn State and reflects the team’s resilience after last weekend’s tough loss. Fans have much to look forward to as the team strives to prove its strength in this high-stakes matchup.