Penn State football vs. Mississippi in Peach Bowl: Score prediction, scouting report

ATLANTA − Penn State football has put together a unique win streak heading into Saturday's Peach Bowl.

It's won 21-straight games — against teams not named Ohio State or Michigan.

Which is, at the same time, significantly impressive and yet also a bit damning when considering what this team ultimately wants to accomplish and how it's been stuck trying to reach it.

Which leads to this upcoming New Year's Six bowl against Mississippi in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The Rebels certainly boast an upwards-trending status, led by a dynamic offense pinballing points in various means. They are hungry and want to prove themselves. They should be at near full-strength, too, with just one significant player opt-out.

And they are very much like Penn State, in one regard: The Rebels' only defeats this season came to the two playoff-caliber teams on their schedule: Alabama and Georgia.

The difference Saturday, then, should be this: While both teams are very good at what they do, Penn State is a bit better. The Nittany Lions were No. 1 nationally in total defense and sacking the quarterback, performing well, even in defeat.

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And they should be close to full-strength, as well. While star defensive end Chop Robinson will sit out (as will Ole Miss top edge rusher Cedric Johnson), the Lions are deep at the spot and performed admirably without Robinson earlier this season.

But this is even bigger: While the Ole Miss offense consistently impresses, led by mobile QB Jaxson Dart, the Penn State offense probably has more upside. They Lions finally made better use of their elite running back talent, for example, during the last two regular-season games (after coordinator Mike Yurcich was fired).

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Expect Drew Allar and the Lions' offense to continue its upswing — even able to match Ole Miss strike for strike.

That, truly, should be the difference on Saturday.

That and how, in the end, Ole Miss just isn't quite another Michigan yet. Or an Ohio State.

Prediction: Penn State 31, Mississippi 21

Frank Bodani covers Penn State football for the York Daily Record and USA Today Network. Contact him at fbodani@ydr.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @YDRPennState.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Penn State football prediction, Ole Miss: Drew Allar vs. Jaxson Dart