With Penn State out of College Football Playoff contention, it's time to pivot to bowl season. The Nittany Lions have a 96.9-percent chance to win six games and become bowl eligible, according to ESPN's College Football Power Index, and a 33.7-percent chance of winning out.

Which brings a range of bowl options into play for the Nittany Lions, who have not missed the postseason outright since 2024 (they opted out with a 5-6 record in 2020). Where are Penn State's best-bet destinations? They range from Dallas to Birmingham to a potential mayonnaise bath.

Here's a look at Penn State's bowl projections entering its Week 10 game against Washington.

Duke's Mayo Bowl

• When: 3:30 p.m. ET Dec. 26

• Where: Charlotte, North Carolina

• Opponent: ACC

The entertaining bowl-game brand is a popular pick for Penn State. Sports Illustrated's Bryan Fisher projects the Nittany Lions playing North Carolina and Bill Belichick in the Dec. 26 game, while ESPN's Kyle Bonagura has Penn State getting a rematch with Clemson in Charlotte.

A Penn State-Clemson game seems unlikely, considering the Nittany Lions defeated the Tigers in the Pinstripe Bowl last December at Yankee Stadium. Bowl committees and conferences frown on rematches, particularly with three- or four-loss teams.

Still, the destination seems very possible for Penn State, which has never played in the Duke's Mayo Bowl before. It's also an East Coast bowl easily accessible for Penn State fans, though the date is a tough one being one day after Christmas. At this point, though, it's a likely destination.

First Responder Bowl

• When: 3:30 p.m. ET Jan. 2

• Where: Dallas, Texas

• Opponent: American Athletic Conference

Penn State actually has played in this bowl game before, in 2011, when it was called the TicketCity Bowl. You remember Houston Cougars quarterback Case Keenum going 45-for-69 for 532 yards and three touchdowns in a 30-14 victory over the Nittany Lions and interim head coach Tom Bradley.

In this potential return to Dallas, ESPN's Mark Schlabach projects Penn State playing North Texas out of the AAC. The Mean Green are currently 6-2. Athlon Sports also picks Penn State for the First Responder Bowl, pitting the Nittany Lions against Baylor.

Birmingham Bowl

• When: 2 p.m. Dec. 29

• Where: Birmingham, Alabama

• Opponent: TBA

Brett McMurphy of On3 is one of the nation's top bowl experts, which is why we're including this. McMurphy projects Penn State playing UCF in the Birmingham Bowl as a pair of at-large teams.

The Birmingham Bowl has a partnership with the American Athletic Conference, which would bring teams such as UTSA, Memphis or South Florida into play. It's not Penn State's best matchup possibility but one worth considering.

Myrtle Beach Bowl

• When: 11 a.m. Dec. 21

• Where: Mrytle Beach, South Carolina

• Opponent: Sun Belt Conference

Here's a wild one. Penn State hasn't played in a bowl game before Christmas since the 1979 Liberty Bowl in Memphis. But CBS Sports' latest projections have the Nittany Lions headed to the Grand Strand to face Arkansas State from the Sun Belt.

This is an unconventional placement for Penn State as an at-large team. The Nittany Lions most likely would have to finish 6-6 for this game to be an option. However, at 6-6, Penn State is an at-large possibility for multiple games.

Penn State (4-4) needs two more wins to become bowl eligible. The Nittany Lions return to the field Saturday at Washington, where they will face the Huskies for the first time in Seattle since 1921.

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