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One of the best bowl games of the season could be headed our way on Saturday as No. 10 Penn State and No. 11 Ole Miss clash in the 2023 Peach Bowl. It’s been a chore slowing down the high-octane Rebels offense this season, but the Nittany Lions defense has been one of the best and most consistent units in the country for the majority of the season.
This is the second time in three seasons that the Rebels have been to a New Year’s Six bowl under coach Lane Kiffin. The only two losses they suffered in 2023 were to Alabama and Georgia — the two participants in this season’s SEC Championship Game and winners of the last three College Football Playoff National Championships. Kiffin has this team on the brink of true title contention, and a win on Saturday’s big stage could accelerate that quest.
Speaking of being on the brink, Penn State’s only two losses this season were to Michigan and Ohio State — both of which entered the final weekend of the regular season undefeated. Coach James Franklin’s squad has ridden a phenomenal defense to a New Year’s Six bowl for the fifth time in 10 seasons, and a win could set the stage for playoff contention in the 12-team era that begins in 2024.
What will happen in Atlanta? Let’s break down the game and make a pick.
Follow along with LIVE UPDATES as Penn State and Ole Miss clash in the 2023 Peach Bowl on Saturday.
How to watch Peach Bowl live
Date: Saturday, Dec. 30 | Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium — Atlanta, Georgia
TV: ESPN | Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
For a limited time, new subscribers can save $20 on Fubo’s Pro, Elite and Premier plans.
Penn State vs. Ole Miss: Need to know
Jaxson Dart’s explosiveness: The Rebels signal-caller is choosing to return to Oxford next season instead of jumping to the NFL or the transfer portal, and Saturday’s game can put him in the early conversation for the 2024 Heisman Trophy. He obviously has the arm strength and weapons outside to do damage downfield, but he has also been the focal point of the ground game at times this season. He’s carried the ball at least 10 times in five of the Rebels’ 12 games this season, and Kiffin is known for getting wild with his play-calling with the world watching.
“Obviously you look at his numbers,” Franklin said of Dart. “He put up really good numbers in the passing game in terms of yards per attempt, in terms of completion percentage, touchdown to interception ratio. He’s also a guy that can beat you with his mind and decision-making, with his arm and accuracy, but then also with his feet. They’re a challenging offense. You take his athleticism. You take their tempo. They’re one of the better offenses that we’ve seen this year. So it’s going to be a challenge. Lane’s always done a really good job, specifically on that side of the ball, so it will be a challenge.”
Penn State’s defense has been as consistent as the sunrise, but this is a massive challenge for a unit that will be without star defensive lineman Chop Robinson
Can the Penn State offensive line hold up? Penn State’s offensive line has been rock solid virtually all season, giving up only 3.83 tackles for loss per game (10th nationally) and helping the Nittany Lions rack up 186.67 yards per game on the ground. It’ll have to deal with an Ole Miss defensive front that is predicated on wreaking havoc in the backfield of opponents.
“Yeah, we’ve been saying it all bowl prep that they’re a very multiple team, play a lot of even and odd fronts,” Penn State quarterback Drew Allar said. “So we’re going to have to be tight on communication up front, whether it’s run blocking schemes or pass protection.”
The last thing that Penn State needs is Allar running for his life. He ranks among the worst quarterbacks in the country in completion percentage while pressured (35.9%) in his first year as the starter.
Will the Nittany Lions finally stretch the field? Speaking of Allar, the Nittany Lions signal-caller has yet to truly unleash the deep ball. He is averaging just 6.7 yards per passing attempt and only 4.2 yards per attempt against AP Top 25 opponents. Simply put, in big games, Franklin hasn’t taken the training wheels off.
Penn State did let him loose against Michigan State in the regular-season finale, however, when he averaged 11.2 yards per attempt in the 42-0 win over the Spartans. Did that set the tone for the future? Franklin fired offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich in November, and a big day from Allar could signal what Penn State will be in 2024.
Peach Bowl prediction, picks
Odds via SportsLine consensus
Styles make fights, and Ole Miss will dictate the style of this one from the outset. Kiffin will have plenty of tricks up his sleeve, and the tempo that he utilizes to wear down opposing defenses will be too much for the Nittany Lions. Expect Dart light up Penn State in the second half and lead his team to an upset in the Peach Bowl. Pick: Ole Miss ML
Which college football picks can you make with confidence during bowl season? Visit SportsLine to see which teams will win and cover the spread — all from a proven computer model that has returned well over $2,000 in profit over the past seven-plus seasons — and find out.
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