Despite currently standing at 8-1, and 5-0 in the Big Ten, bowl predictions have placed the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Gator Bowl against the SEC's Florida Gators on January 2, 2012. I would imagine having to face Nebraska and Wisconsin in two of their next three games have something to do with that, as both conference opponents are currently ranked in the Top 20 in the country.
The Pittsburgh Panthers, despite not even having enough wins yet to be bowl eligible, are slotted to appear in the comically title Beef O'Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl in mid-December, against Southern Miss of Conference USA. Fellow Big East member West Virginia, coming off a tough 38-35 loss to Louisville, is predicted to play in second-to-last non-BCS bowl game of the year, the BBVA Compass Bank Bowl, against Vanderbilt.
Here are current bowl projections for Pittsburgh, Penn State and West Virginia:
Beef O'Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl, Dec. 20, 2011
Pittsburgh vs. Southern Miss
Gator Bowl, Jan. 2, 2012
Penn State vs. Florida
BBVA Compass Bank Bowl, Jan. 7, 2012
West Virginia vs. Vanderbilt
For more 2011 bowl projections, check out SB Nation's college football hub. For a complete bowl schedule, click here. For more on the Mountaineers, be sure to visit The Smoking Musket. For all your Penn State news and notes, pop over to Black Shoe Diaries. Pittsburgh fans should check out Cardiac Hill.