Latest bowl projections put LSU outside of the New Years Six
It is that time again, a weekly check-in on the latest bowl projections. This time it comes from ESPN. As is the tradition each week, Kyle Monagura and Mark Schlabach put out their latest bowl projections. Others have picked the LSU Tigers to return to the New Years Six after declining a bowl invitation in 2020.
Both analysts have the Tigers playing in the Outback Bowl for the first time since 2014. That season they played the Iowa Hawkeyes of the Big Ten Conference. In that game LSU running back Jeremy Hill sealed the victory for the Bayou Bengals with a 37-yard scoring run with just over three minutes left in the game. The Tigers held on for the 21-14 victory over the unranked Hawkeyes.
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As for this year, Bonagura has LSU and Iowa going at it again, seven years after the first matchup in this bowl game. Over their history, these teams have met twice. Both games came in bowl contests, Iowa won 30-25 in the Capital One Bowl and LSU won 21-14 in the Outback Bowl. Both games were played on New Years Day in the state of Florida.
Schlabach has the Tigers matching up with the Penn State Nittany Lions. LSU would be in search of their first-ever victory over the team that hails from Happy Vally. Much like Iowa, both games in the series have come in the state of Florida. Penn State won the 1974 Orange Bowl 16-9 and again in the 2010 Captial One Bowl 19-17. Both games were played on Jan. 1.
Either way, it would be an interesting matchup against a Big Ten foe.
