Ticket City Bowl 2012 Odds: Houston Favored By 6 Points Over Penn State

The Penn State Nittany Lions (9-3) will face the Houston Cougars (12-1) in the 2012 Ticket City Bowl at 12 p.m. on ESPNU on Jan 2. at the Cotton Bowl in Fair Park, Dallas, TX.

Penn State finished tied for first in the Leaders division with Big Ten champion Wisconsin. Wisconsin got to the Big Ten Championship Game by virtue of having beaten Penn State in their head-to-head matchup, 45-7. Houston won the Western division of Conference USA but lost out on a BCS bowl bid when they fell to Southern Miss, 49-28, in the Conference USA Championship Game on Dec. 3.

Houston is favored by 6 points over the Nittany Lions (via Odds Shark). There is no total yet available for the Ticket City Bowl.

For more college football bowl odds and betting lines, visit Odds Shark. For more Penn State coverage, visit our team page or Black Shoe Diaries. For a complete college football bowl game schedule, check out SB Nation's 2011 college football bowl game bids coverage.

New Mexico Bowl 2011 Odds: Temple Favored By 7 Points Over Wyoming

The Temple Owls (8-4) will meet the Wyoming Cowboys (8-4) in the 2011 New Mexico Bowl on Dec. 17 at 2 p.m. at University Stadium in Albuquerque, NM. The New Mexico Bowl is the first game of the 2011-2012 bowl season.

Under first-year head coach Steve Addazio, the Owls won their last three regular season games and finished second in the Mid-American Conference's Eastern division. The Cowboys won three of their last four games and finished third in the Mountain West Conference. The two teams have met once before. On Sept. 1 1990, Wyoming defeated Temple 38-23.

Temple is currently a 7-point favorite in the game (via Odds Shark). There is no total posted for the New Mexico Bowl yet.

For more college football bowl odds and betting lines, visit Odds Shark. For more Temple coverage, visit our team page. For a complete college football bowl game schedule, check out SB Nation's 2011 college football bowl game bids coverage.

Bowl Games 2011: Penn State Passed On After Scandal

Penn State is not going to a BCS bowl game because it lost two of its last three games. But when the college football bowl schedule was announced on Sunday night, the Nittany Lions were disappointed to be dealt a Tickey City Bowl matchup with Houston.

Several bowls passed on Penn State because of a recent sex abuse scandal which has ensnared the university. Former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky has been charged with multiple accounts of child molestation. He denies the charges.

RELATED: Ticket City Bowl: Penn State vs. Houston | College Football Bowl Schedule

The Nittany Lions (9-3) finished with the fourth best record in the Big Ten. The Gator Bowl, which has a tie-in with the fourth best Big Ten school, instead took Ohio State, a team Penn State beat on Nov. 19. Northwestern and Iowa -- two more teams Penn State beat during the season -- were also selected ahead of the Nittany Lions.

"We feel a little disappointed we got passed up by some teams we beat in the Big Ten," Drew Astorino said on the Big Ten Network after the announcement (via Reuters).

For more a complete college football bowl game schedule, check out SB Nation’s 2011 college football bowl game bids coverage. And visit our many college football blogs.

Ticket City Bowl 2012: Penn State Will Face Houston

The 2012 Ticket City Bowl will feature Penn State against Houston, the bowl announced on Sunday. Penn State finished a tumultuous season in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal at 9-3 after losing two of its final three games, while Houston suffered a surprising loss to Southern Mississippi in the Conference USA championship game to spoil its bid for a perfect season.

The Nittany Lions were potentially headed to the Big 10 title game, but losses to Nebraska and Wisconsin foiled that bid. Their stout defense will now have to deal with Case Keenum and Houston's high-powered offense.

Here is more information on the 2012 Ticket City Bowl.

Game date, time: 12:00 p.m. ET, January 2, 2012

Location: Cotton Bowl, Fair Park, Dallas, Tx.

TV channel: ESPNU

2010 winner and loser: Texas Tech def. Northwestern, 45-38

For more on each bowl game as it’s announced, stay tuned to SB Nation’s 2011 college football bowl game bids coverage. And visit our many college football blogs.

New Mexico Bowl 2011: Temple, Wyoming To Square Off

The 2011 New Mexico Bowl will be Temple vs. New Mexico, the bowl announced on Sunday. The Owls earn a berth out of the Mid-American Conference, while Wyoming will represent the Mountain West. The game will be the first bowl game played in the 2011 bowl season.

The Owls make the bowl game after finishing off an 8-4 season, including wins in their final three contests. Temple finished second in the MAC's East division. Wyoming also finished 8-4 this season, with a 5-2 record in the Mountain West Conference.

Here is more information on the 2011 New Mexico Bowl.

Game date, time: 2:00 pm ET, Saturday, December 17

Location: University Stadium, Albuquerque, New Mexico

TV channel: ESPN

2010 winner and loser: BYU 52 - UTEP 24

For more on each bowl game as it’s announced, stay tuned to SB Nation's college football bowl game bids coverage. And visit our many football blogs.

2011 Bowl Projections: Penn State To Insight or Mieneke Care Car Bowl

On Saturday, the 2011-12 Big Ten Conference season wrapped up, as the University of Wisconsin defeated Michigan State University, 42-39, in the inaugural championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN. The victory helped the Badgers earn a invitation to the Rose Bowl where it will face the Pac-12 Conference champion, the University of Oregon.

While, Badger fans know their bowl fate, Penn State University and Temple University football fans are patiently waiting for an invitation to the postseason. As of Sunday morning, SB Nation's Jason Kirk has PSU (9-3) playing in the Insight Bowl, Dec. 30, against Baylor University in Tempe, AZ, while Temple (8-4) is expected to be invited to the Military Bowl, Dec. 28, against Wake Forest University in Washington D.C.

Meanwhile, CollegeBowlProjections.com has the Nittany Lions also playing in the Insight Bowl, but against the University of Texas. Temple is predicted to play the University of Wyoming in the New Mexico Bowl, Dec. 17, in Albuquerque, NM.

Scout.com has PSU traveling to Houston, TX to play Texas A&M in the Mieneke Car Care Bowl of Texas, Dec. 31, while Temple is projected to play San Diego State University in the New Mexico Bowl.

Check back to SB Nation Philly for more on Penn State's possible bowl destination. SB Nation's Black Shoes Diaries will also have more about the Nittany Lions bowl possibilities.

2011 Bowl Projections: Penn State And Temple Football Both Postseason Bound

Both SB Nation Philly college football programs -- Penn State Nittany Lions and Temple Owls -- have collected enough victories to qualify for a 2011 postseason invitation. However, with still a few more college football games on the overall schedule fans don't know who and where their school will be playing. Well, we have the cure for problem, as we have compiled a list of 2011 bowl projections for both programs.

Here's a composite list of PSU's projected postseason destinations:

Scout.com: Gator Bowl vs. Auburn -- Jan. 2 in Jacksonville, FL.
Rivals.com:  Insight Bowl vs. Oklohoma -- Dec. 30 in Tempe, AZ.
Collegebowlprojections.com: Insight Bowl vs. Baylor.
ESPN.com:: Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas -- Dec. 31 in Houston, TX.
CBSSports.com: Meineke Car Care Bowl vs. Texas A&M.

Temple's projected postseason destination:

Scout.com: New Orleans Bowl vs. Louisiana-Lafayette -- Dec. 17 in New Orleans, LA.
Rivals.com: New Mexico Bowl vs. Wyoming -- Dec. 17 in Albuquerque, NM.
Collegebowlprojections.com: New Orleans Bowl vs. Louisiana-Lafayette.
CBSSports.com: New Mexico Bowl vs San Diego St.

Check back to SB Nation Philly for more on Penn State's possible bowl destination. SB Nation's Black Shoes Diaries will also have more about the Nittany Lions bowl possibilities.

2011 Bowl Projections: Penn State Football To Meineke Car Care Bowl; Temple In New Mexico Bowl

After losing to the University of Wisconsin, 45-7, Saturday, many bowl projections Sunday had the Penn State University football program playing in the Insight Bowl, Dec. 30, in Tempe, AZ. However, there seems to be disagreement among the experts, as two other websites -- ESPN.com's Big Ten blog and CBSSports.com's Jerry Palm -- have the Nittany Lions competing in the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, Dec. 31, in Houston, TX.

"Penn State's loss in Madison drops the Nittany Lions several spots in the bowl pecking order," wrote ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett Sunday. "Some bowls will be reluctant to invite Penn State because of the negative publicity surrounding the program. We think the Lions will find a postseason home in Houston."

If Penn State is invited to the Meineke Car Care Bowl it will play a Big 12 Conference opponent. CBS' Palm has the Nittany Lions playing Texas A&M. Other possibilities could be: The University of Texas, Iowa State University and the University of Missouri.

Also projected by Palm: The Temple Owls football program to the New Mexico Bowl, Dec. 17, to play San Diego State.

Check back to SB Nation Philly for more on Penn State's possible bowl destination. SB Nation's Black Shoes Diaries will also have more about the Nittany Lions bowl possibilities.

2011 Bowl Projections: Temple Football Bowl Bound

Just a few days ago, the Temple University football team defeated Kent State, 34-16, and the hope among Owl fans was that the eighth victory of the season would be enough to help their chances at earning a bowl invitation. Well, good news Temple fans, as of Sunday many projections have the Owls postseason bound.

Now, the projected bowl invite may not be the most glamorous -- SB Nation's Off Tackle Empire has the Owls playing in the New Mexico Bowl -- or the most interesting -- Scott Dochterman of the Gazette has Temple winding up in the Military bowl -- but the point is, Temple has done enough to earn a postseason invite.

"My projection: Toledo and Temple wind up in New Mexico or Birmingham (BBVA) and WMU heads to Detroit," wrote Graham Couch of the Kalamazoo Gazette on Sunday.

Bowl invitations are traditionally handed out soon after conference championship games are played. If invited, look for Temple to accept an invitation sometime late this week or early next week.

2011 Bowl Predictions: Penn State Football To Insight Bowl

The Penn State Nittany Lions finished its 2011-12 campaign Saturday with a tough road loss, 45-7, to the University of Wisconsin in a Big Ten Conference game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, WI. The drubbing dropped Penn State (9-3, 6-2 Big Ten) to second in the Leaders Division of the Big Ten and forces the Nittany Lions to wait and see which bowl game will invite them to play in the postseason.

So far, early projections have Penn State playing in the Insight Bowl against Kansas State, which is from the Big 12 Conference. There's a possibility that the Nittany Lions could earn a spot in the Meineke Car Care Bowl or the Gator Bowl -- which are considered as silently better bowls -- but the looming sexual abuse scandal involving former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky could hurt their bowl-bid profile.

"The Nittany Lions’ child sex abuse scandal is toxic for bowls that want feel-good stories and free-spending fans," wrote Scott Dochterman of The Gazette Sunday morning. "On the field, Penn State deserves a nice bowl at 9-3 and a share of the Leaders Division title. But "deserves" doesn’t sell travel packages or entice walk-up traffic. I still think Penn State lands in the Insight Bowl, which took Iowa last year."

Here's how the bowl selection process may go:

"The Insight Bowl will make the third selection after the Big Ten’s BCS teams are decided," wrote Mark Wogenrich of the Morning Call. "With the title-game winner headed to the Rose Bowl, and Michigan on the verge of a BCS at-large invitation, that leaves the title-game loser and Nebraska aligned for the top Florida bowls (Capital One and Outback)."

Wogenrich says, that the Gator Bowl, which selects right before the Insight Bowl, is looking to invite Ohio State University, which is in the process of hiring former Florida University head coach Urban Myer. If Myer is hired before the bowl invitations go out, the Buckeyes would be a perfect fit for the Gator Bowl, which is played in Jacksonville, FL -- a hotbed for Gator football.

If that scenario plays out like it should, Penn State would be the next Big Ten school in line for an invite.

Check back to SB Nation Philly for more on Penn State's possible bowl destination. SB Nation's Black Shoes Diaries will also have more about the Nittany Lions bowl possibilities.

2011 Bowl Predictions: Where Will Temple Football Be Bowling?

2011 Bowl Predictions: Penn State On Course For Familiar Destination, Temple Cinches Bowl Eligibility

With the turmoil that enveloped State College this past week, perhaps SB Nation's Bill Connelly's latest bowl projections will offer the comfort of stability to some Penn State fan. After Saturday's loss to Nebraska, the Nittany Lions are on pace for a record fifth appearance in the Outback Bowl. There, Connelly predicts they will meet Steve Spurrier's South Carolina Gamecocks.

Temple picked up an important win against Miami (Ohio) this past week to officially seal its bowl eligibility and remain a half-game behind MAC East leaders Ohio. As a result, Connelly predicts the Owls will be the MAC's third bowl selection, earning them a trip to Boise, Idaho, for the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (nee Humanitarian Bowl) against Florida International Golden Panthers.

Connelly's projections for the BCS games are as follows:

BCS National Championship Game (1/9/2012): LSU vs. Oklahoma State

Rose Bowl (1/2/2012): Oregon vs. Wisconsin

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (1/2/2012): Oklahoma vs. Houston

Allstate Sugar Bowl (1/3/2012): Alabama vs. Stanford

Discover Orange Bowl (1/4/2012): Clemson vs. Cincinnati

2011 Bowl Projections: Temple Remains On Brink Of Bowl Eligibility After Loss To Ohio

Wednesday's Temple vs. Ohio game featured just about everything that makes college football so great: two amped up teams with equally enthused fan bases, a national spotlight thanks to ESPN, and major bowl implications at stake depending on the outcome. Best of all, the game totally lived up to the hype, even if the result wasn't what Temple fans were hoping for. The Owls lost 35-31 to fall half a game behind Ohio is the MAC West standings. Temple fell to 5-4, and remain one win away from bowl eligibility. The Owls face off against Miami (OH) on Wednesday.

Also of local interest is Penn State, who had a bye this weekend. The Niittany Lions face off against No. 10 (and soon to drop) Nebraska on Saturday. The Cornhuskers are coming off a shocking home loss to Northwestern, which dropped them to 7-2.

Keep an eye on out for Bill Connelly's SB Nation bowl projections later this week. After a wild weekend in college football, the BCS standings are sure to be shook up.

2011 Bowl Projections: Penn State And Temple Predicted To Stumble Down The Stretch

Though both Penn State and Temple are leading their respective divisions in the Big Ten and MAC conferences, our bowl prediction expert Bill Connelly thinks both teams will struggle at the end of the season and miss out on their conference championship games.