No. 11 Ole Miss and No. 10 Penn State to Face Off in the 2023 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: December 3, 2023

Courtesy of GoPSU Athletics

Both teams will meet for the first time in SEC vs. Big Ten showdown on Dec. 30

ATLANTA (Dec. 3, 2023) – No. 11 Ole Miss (10-2) will face No. 10 Penn State (10-2) in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl as announced by the College Football Playoff selection committee today. The 56th annual Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl will be played Saturday, Dec. 30 at noon ET inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and will be nationally televised by ESPN.

This year’s matchup represents only the sixth Big Ten vs. SEC matchup in the Bowl’s history, but will be the second-consecutive showdown between the conferences following last year’s CFP Semifinal that featured No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 1 Georgia. It also marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Penn State will make its Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl debut, while Ole Miss will play in the Bowl for only the third time in its history, after defeating Georgia Tech 41-18 in the 1971 game and falling 42-3 to TCU in 2014.

Ole Miss will make its second appearance in a New Year’s Six bowl in the last three seasons, while Penn State will make its second-consecutive New Year’s Six bowl after defeating Utah to win the 109th Rose Bowl Game presented by Prudential.

The Rebels will look to capture the program’s first New Year’s Six bowl victory under head coach Lane Kiffin, while a win by the Nittany Lions would make them the first program in college football history to win every bowl game that comprises the New Year’s Six.

“We are thrilled to have Penn State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl for the first time and to welcome back Ole Miss to our game,” said Gary Stokan, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl CEO and president. “Regardless of the outcome, history will be made on Dec. 30, and we’re excited for fans of both teams to get the opportunity to experience the Capital of College Football here in Atlanta.”

“Both the Rebels and the Nittany Lions have had outstanding seasons and we welcome them both to Atlanta,” said Bob Schuler, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl chairman. “It’s an honor to host both programs for their first-ever meeting in what should be an outstanding contest between two of the nation’s best teams.”

Ole Miss (10-2, 6-2 SEC) ranks 11th in the College Football Playoff after a successful season under head coach Lane Kiffin. Ole Miss comes to Atlanta with one of the nation’s most prolific offensive units, ranking top-20 in scoring offense (34.8 points per game) and total offense (455.4 yards per game). Quarterback Jaxson Dart was named a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award after completing 65 percent of his throws for 2,985 yards and 16 touchdowns, while also ranking 10th in the nation for passing yards per completion (14.35). Running back Quinshon Judkins ranks ninth in the nation with 15 rushing touchdowns and is 11th in total touchdowns with 16. Judkins finished the season with 1,052 rushing yards and 87.7 rushing yards per game.

Penn State (10-2, 7-2 Big Ten) enters the game ranked 10th in the College Football Playoff. Under head coach James Franklin, Penn State brings a defensive unit that leads the nation in total defense (223.2 yards per game), which represents the lowest total of any team dating back to 2011. The Nittany Lions earned three shutouts this season for the first time since 1978, and finished the season ranked first in the FBS in total sacks (48), second in rushing defense (69.7 yards per game) and third in scoring defense (11.4 points allowed per game). On offense, the Nittany Lions feature an efficient group that ranks fourth in the country in red zone offense, scoring on 58 of 61 opportunities (95 percent: 47 touchdowns and 11 field goals), and only lost six turnovers on the year, the second lowest in the nation. Offensive Lineman Olumuyiwa Fashanu earned the Big Ten Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year after allowing zero sacks in 324 pass blocking snaps.

Tickets

Fans wishing to attend this year’s Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl can purchase primary and secondary tickets through Ticketmaster, home to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl’s official ticket marketplace at https://chick-fil-apeachbowl.com/tickets.

Official Travel Packages

Limited availability remains for Official Travel Packages through On Location, the Official Travel Provider of the 2023 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. An experience from On Location will put you at the epicenter of football, fanfare and fun with premium club-level seating, deluxe local accommodations and exclusive experiences to make the most of your time in Atlanta. Visit www.OnLocationExp.com/PeachBowl to learn more and secure your access today.

Fans are also encouraged to visit the official Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl website at https://chick-fil-apeachbowl.com for more information on tickets, travel and Bowl Week activities.