Purdue Bowl Projections: Week 12

With Purdue’s victory over Illinois on Saturday, the Boilermakers became bowl eligible, so the Purdue athletic department will get to plan an extra trip in late December or early January. Let’s take a look at some of Purdue’s projected destinations (I promise that none are for the Music City Bowl again) leading into week 12:

All times in Eastern

CBS Sports: ReliaQuest Bowl vs Florida

1/2 at 12:00 PM Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

This game will actually take place the same day as the non-playoff New Years Six games because the NCAA doesn’t want to compete with NFL Sunday on New Years Day. This bowl and the Citrus Bowl are the next best options to a NY6 game, but this likely assumes Purdue winning its next two games.

ESPN (Bonagura): Pinstripe Bowl vs Pitt

12/29 at 2:00 PM Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

I have not missed a Purdue bowl game since I have been a student (it’s only 3 times but still, 3/3). I do NOT want Purdue to be in this game. It’s bad enough to have this game in New York in late December but then throw in Yankee Stadium. Gross.

ESPN (Schlabach): ReliaQuest Bowl vs Florida

One of the ESPN guys respected my wishes to be somewhere warm for a bowl game.

247 Sports: Citrus Bowl vs Ole Miss

1/2 at 1:00 PM Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL

May actually have to drive to this game, because flights to Orlando on New Years or the day after will be incredibly overpriced or darn-near impossible to find. Again, this game is the next best thing to NY6, so I would be quite content enjoying the sunshine and sipping on a Pina Colada at this game.

Sports Illustrated: ReliaQuest Bowl vs Florida

Nothing like playing a bowl game against an SEC team in their home state.

Athlon Sports: Citrus Bowl vs Ole Miss

We’d basically just replace the UCF fans down there. Show them what a true Space U looks like.

College Football News: Pinstripe Bowl vs Pitt

At this point, I’m waiting for a bowl game to be played at Wrigley called the Giordano’s Ivy Bowl. Playing a football game in a baseball stadium is dumb.

Action Network: Duke’s Mayo Bowl vs Pitt

12/30 at 12:00 PM Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC

While this game is the closest to my apartment geographically, this would actually be the most inconvenient game for me, as I will fly home to Indiana for the holidays. Not sure if coach Brohm would be in favor of having a bucket of mayo dumped on him, but I’d still want to see it.

So, there you have it: 4 for Florida, 2 for New York, and 1 Mayo game in North Carolina. Purdue still has to win so that it doesn’t fall back to lower tier bowl games, but right now, there’s a good chance we get to be somewhere warm come bowl season.