Seek advice - travel plans (potential bowl)

[djm_psu_alum]

I know we're halfway through the season and there are unknowns (injuries) and tough games (OSU, Mich, MSU) but just wondering what you feel is the most likely landing spot for bowl? I am selfishly asking because I'm beginning to look at holiday travel plans for my wife and me. We don't have kids. We live in Pasadena, CA. Pre-pandemic years, we would go to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving (just as the pilgrims intended) or a PSU bowl in Dec/Jan but have done Europe for Christmas or gone back to Pittsburgh when our mothers' guilt has been too much. I'm thinking of restarting our Thanksgiving Vegas trip but would forego that if PSU is in a good/great bowl. One of our dogs is 14 and is beginning to have cognitive issues so we would probably only want to travel either for Thanksgiving or a bowl not both. So based on that, I'm just wondering what the board's wisdom/feeling is on where we are likely to end up bowl-wise (see scenarios below).

One caveat: I don't really pay attention to the bowl projections until early-mid-November so no idea where we are slated now--not that I believe some of those media predictions.

• Win out (incl Big10 CG) and make playoff - go to Cotton/Orange Bowl - we go no matter what
• Finish 11-2 (lose Big10 CG) or 10-2 - go to Rose Bowl (assuming a Big10 team goes to playoff) -- most ideal since we can roll out of bed and go to the game
• Finish 10-2 - go to Fiesta or Peach as an at-large NY6 team -- Fiesta is also ideal since we can drive. Peach is good as well since we have Delta status.
• Finish 9-3 - go to Citrus or Outback (I guess there is a scenario where could be 10-2 and go to one of these if 3 Big10 teams are ahead in the CFP rankings by Dec) - with the exception of the Orange Bowl, my wife has no interest going to Florida for anything so we'd be out for these
• Finish worse than 9-3 and go to Las Vegas Bowl - would be easy to attend but would they fall this far?
• A bowl not listed above - not even sure what other options there are

If we feel like the Fiesta/Peach/Cotton/Orange/Las Vegas Bowl are high odds, we'd skip Vegas for Thanksgiving. If we feel like Rose is a good bet, we'd do Vegas for Thanksgiving. If Citrus/Outback are the most likely, we'd do Vegas for Turkey day.

Obviously, we have another 4-5 weeks before we firm up our Thanksgiving travel plans but just wondered if you had to bet with the knowledge you have, where would you bet, we'd go bowling?

 

[PSUFBFAN]

I know we're halfway through the season and there are unknowns (injuries) and tough games (OSU, Mich, MSU) but just wondering what you feel is the most likely landing spot for bowl? I am selfishly asking because I'm beginning to look at holiday travel plans for my wife and me. We don't have kids. We live in Pasadena, CA. Pre-pandemic years, we would go to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving (just as the pilgrims intended) or a PSU bowl in Dec/Jan but have done Europe for Christmas or gone back to Pittsburgh when our mothers' guilt has been too much. I'm thinking of restarting our Thanksgiving Vegas trip but would forego that if PSU is in a good/great bowl. One of our dogs is 14 and is beginning to have cognitive issues so we would probably only want to travel either for Thanksgiving or a bowl not both. So based on that, I'm just wondering what the board's wisdom/feeling is on where we are likely to end up bowl-wise (see scenarios below).

One caveat: I don't really pay attention to the bowl projections until early-mid-November so no idea where we are slated now--not that I believe some of those media predictions.

• Win out (incl Big10 CG) and make playoff - go to Cotton/Orange Bowl - we go no matter what
• Finish 11-2 (lose Big10 CG) or 10-2 - go to Rose Bowl (assuming a Big10 team goes to playoff) -- most ideal since we can roll out of bed and go to the game
• Finish 10-2 - go to Fiesta or Peach as an at-large NY6 team -- Fiesta is also ideal since we can drive. Peach is good as well since we have Delta status.
• Finish 9-3 - go to Citrus or Outback (I guess there is a scenario where could be 10-2 and go to one of these if 3 Big10 teams are ahead in the CFP rankings by Dec) - with the exception of the Orange Bowl, my wife has no interest going to Florida for anything so we'd be out for these
• Finish worse than 9-3 and go to Las Vegas Bowl - would be easy to attend but would they fall this far?
• A bowl not listed above - not even sure what other options there are

If we feel like the Fiesta/Peach/Cotton/Orange/Las Vegas Bowl are high odds, we'd skip Vegas for Thanksgiving. If we feel like Rose is a good bet, we'd do Vegas for Thanksgiving. If Citrus/Outback are the most likely, we'd do Vegas for Turkey day.

Obviously, we have another 4-5 weeks before we firm up our Thanksgiving travel plans but just wondered if you had to bet with the knowledge you have, where would you bet, we'd go bowling?

Pick one.

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[Midnighter2]

I know we're halfway through the season and there are unknowns (injuries) and tough games (OSU, Mich, MSU) but just wondering what you feel is the most likely landing spot for bowl? I am selfishly asking because I'm beginning to look at holiday travel plans for my wife and me. We don't have kids. We live in Pasadena, CA. Pre-pandemic years, we would go to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving (just as the pilgrims intended) or a PSU bowl in Dec/Jan but have done Europe for Christmas or gone back to Pittsburgh when our mothers' guilt has been too much. I'm thinking of restarting our Thanksgiving Vegas trip but would forego that if PSU is in a good/great bowl. One of our dogs is 14 and is beginning to have cognitive issues so we would probably only want to travel either for Thanksgiving or a bowl not both. So based on that, I'm just wondering what the board's wisdom/feeling is on where we are likely to end up bowl-wise (see scenarios below).

One caveat: I don't really pay attention to the bowl projections until early-mid-November so no idea where we are slated now--not that I believe some of those media predictions.

• Win out (incl Big10 CG) and make playoff - go to Cotton/Orange Bowl - we go no matter what
• Finish 11-2 (lose Big10 CG) or 10-2 - go to Rose Bowl (assuming a Big10 team goes to playoff) -- most ideal since we can roll out of bed and go to the game
• Finish 10-2 - go to Fiesta or Peach as an at-large NY6 team -- Fiesta is also ideal since we can drive. Peach is good as well since we have Delta status.
• Finish 9-3 - go to Citrus or Outback (I guess there is a scenario where could be 10-2 and go to one of these if 3 Big10 teams are ahead in the CFP rankings by Dec) - with the exception of the Orange Bowl, my wife has no interest going to Florida for anything so we'd be out for these
• Finish worse than 9-3 and go to Las Vegas Bowl - would be easy to attend but would they fall this far?
• A bowl not listed above - not even sure what other options there are

If we feel like the Fiesta/Peach/Cotton/Orange/Las Vegas Bowl are high odds, we'd skip Vegas for Thanksgiving. If we feel like Rose is a good bet, we'd do Vegas for Thanksgiving. If Citrus/Outback are the most likely, we'd do Vegas for Turkey day.

Obviously, we have another 4-5 weeks before we firm up our Thanksgiving travel plans but just wondered if you had to bet with the knowledge you have, where would you bet, we'd go bowling?

I don’t know about the likelihood we end up there, but I really enjoyed the Pinstripe Bowl when we played BC and would go again if we somehow end up there. Less convenient for you but few places as nice to spend a long weekend than NYC.

 

[RGWhirly]

In Detroit vs a MAC Team.

I kid….

 

[fastlax16]

I don’t know about the likelihood we end up there, but I really enjoyed the Pinstripe Bowl when we played BC and would go again if we somehow end up there. Less convenient for you but few places as nice to spend a long weekend than NYC.

The Pinstripe bowl would be a massive disappointment and means we probably drop the OSU and UM and MSU games and finish the season unranked.

 

[Midnighter2]

The Pinstripe bowl would be a massive disappointment and means we probably drop the OSU and UM and MSU games and finish the season unranked.

Just saying it was a nice bowl trip - not that I want or hope we end up there.

 

[djm_psu_alum]

Just saying it was a nice bowl trip - not that I want or hope we end up there.

Probably mean dropping an additional one or two more on top of those three. It would be a cross-country trip but I get your point--NYC would be nice.

 

[Midnighter2]

Probably mean dropping an additional one or two more on top of those three. It would be a cross-country trip but I get your point--NYC would be nice.

My dream would be Rose Bowl.

 

[Sooner Lion]

Well this thread certainly has not aged well. I'll be in NYC over the holidays. Should we go to the Pinstripe Bowl, I'll be watching on tv. Not spending another dime going to PSU games until Franklin is gone.

 

[IANit]

The Pinstripe bowl would be a massive disappointment and means we probably drop the OSU and UM and MSU games and finish the season unranked.

The projections I'm seeing right now have us in the Music City Bowl in Nashville if we drop the UM and MSU games. I think we at least split those two.

 

[sluggo72]

The projections I'm seeing right now have us in the Music City Bowl in Nashville if we drop the UM and MSU games. I think we at least split those two.

but Nashville is a lot of fun!

 

[fastlax16]

The projections I'm seeing right now have us in the Music City Bowl in Nashville if we drop the UM and MSU games. I think we at least split those two.

and I stand by what I said. Massive disappointment.

 

[IANit]

and I stand by what I said. Massive disappointment.

A massive disappointment based on how we started. I think 8-4/7-5 is what a fair number of people predicted before the season, but many of those probably would have had us starting 2-2 with losses to Wisky and Auburn.

 

[rag195]

My dream would be Rose Bowl.

Dream real hard and click your heels 3 times. We might get there in 5 years after the debacle that is about to happen I am afraid

 

[fastlax16]

A massive disappointment based on how we started. I think 8-4/7-5 is what a fair number of people predicted before the season, but many of those probably would have had us starting 2-2 with losses to Wisky and Auburn.

I didn't see many people predicting a 5 loss season coming off the hot streak to end last year. If you were projecting 5 losses then they would have likely been UW, AU, Iowa, OSU and Michigan. which would have been the 5 best teams on the schedule coming in to the season. very disappointing.

That said if a fair number of people predicted 7-5, He's doing a pretty good job this year and everyone should be happy.

 

[IANit]

I didn't see many people predicting a 5 loss season coming off the hot streak to end last year. If you were projecting 5 losses then they would have likely been UW, AU, Iowa, OSU and Michigan. which would have been the 5 best teams on the schedule coming in to the season. very disappointing.

That said if a fair number of people predicted 7-5, He's doing a pretty good job this year and everyone should be happy.

Going back and looking at the prediction thread I only saw a couple. Apparent Franklin-hater Wallace Breen was one.