Fansided

College football bowl games: Ranking every 2019-2020 bowl team

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Trevor Lawrence, Clemson Tigers. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Trevor Lawrence, Clemson Tigers. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
33 of 40
Next
STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 30: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions leads his team onto the field before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Beaver Stadium on November 30, 2019 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
STATE COLLEGE, PA – NOVEMBER 30: Head coach James Franklin of the Penn State Nittany Lions leads his team onto the field before the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Beaver Stadium on November 30, 2019 in State College, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /

16. Penn State Nittany Lions, 87.82

  • Roster Strength: 86.03 (23)
  • Team Performance: 88.07 (14)
  • Head Coach Rating: 87.09 (16)

As has often been the case, Penn State head coach James Franklin was a hot name in coaching rumors, specifically the opening at Florida State and the near opening at USC, and for good reason. The Nittany Lions have become the top threat to Ohio State in the Big Ten East, and as long as Franklin doesn’t lose too many of the talented players he recruited to the NFL Draft, Penn State could be the 2020 preseason favorite in the division.

If not for the injury to quarterback Sean Clifford, which kept the quarterback out of the regular-season finale against Rutgers, the Nittany Lions would have come in higher in these rankings. Nevertheless, Penn State has an opportunity to pick up win No. 11, and finish in the Top 10 of the national polls, for the third time in the last four seasons under Franklin.

15. Washington Huskies, 88.06

  • Roster Strength: 88.30 (9)
  • Team Performance: 86.32 (20)
  • Head Coach Rating: 87.82 (13)

Following a tough season in which his squad failed to meet its Pac-12 championship expectations, Washington head coach Chris Petersen will coach the Huskies for the final time (and against his old team Boise State) in the Las Vegas Bowl. The news of Petersen’s plan to step away came as a shock, but Washington acted quickly to promote defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake and maintain a large measure of continuity within the program.

But the transition has already begun for tight end Hunter Bryant and Trey Adams, who will sit out the bowl game in preparation for the NFL Draft. Quarterback Jacob Eason is expected to play, but it’s too early to say whether or not the strong-armed junior will follow Bryant and Adams to the NFL or return for his senior season.

Home/College Football