The College Football Playoff has come and gone and the stage is set next Monday for a battle between No. 1 Alabama and No. 2 Clemson in the National Championship.

Penn State started the season with national championship aspirations, but they were quickly crushed after back-to-back home losses to Ohio State and Michigan State. The Nittany Lions would drop another game to Michigan on the road, but finished the season strong, winning three straight, allowing just 6.6 points per game in that span to put themselves in contention for a New Year’s Six Bowl Game.

However, Penn State didn’t get the help it needed from the other teams inside the top 10 during the last two weeks of the season, and it wasn’t chosen for a New Year’s Six, instead being chosen for the VRBO Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The No. 12 Nittany Lions will take on No. 14 ranked Kentucky out of the SEC tomorrow at 1 p.m. on ABC.

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about this game is that this will be the last one in the blue and white for quarterback Trace McSorley. McSorley took over as the starting quarterback four years ago when Christian Hackenberg was knocked out of Penn State’s bowl game against Georgia. Since then, the Nittany Lions have been energized by a high octane offense that was led by McSorley (and Saquon Barkley the previous two seasons). McSorley’s ability to come up with big plays over the past three seasons with both his arm and his legs have put the Nittany Lions in position to win 10 games for a third straight season — which hasn’t happened since the 1980-82 seasons.

In his career, McSorley holds the Penn State record for most wins (31), completions (703), passing yards (9,653), passing touchdowns (75) and total offense (11,275). He ranks third in total touchdowns responsible for (104) in Big Ten history behind J.T. Barrett and Drew Brees. He also ranks seventh in total yards, fourth in career passing touchdowns and ninth in career passing yards in Big Ten history.

It’s no secret that McSorley was banged up in the Iowa game and it affected his play throughout the end of the season. It wasn’t until the Rutgers game that he looked healthier and the time off from the end of the season until now should pretty much guarantee that he will be 100 percent for the Citrus Bowl.

The Kentucky defense has been pretty good this season, holding opponents to 16.3 points per game and 332.2 yards per game. The Wildcats have been solid against the pass this season as well, allowing 181.3 passing yards per contest. That means McSorley, who by his usual statistical standards has had an off year through the air (2,284 yards, 16 TDs, 6 INTs), will need to conjure up some of his old magic to get the Penn State deep passing game going.

The Nittany Lions are always at their best when McSorley is connecting down the field. However, if he is 100 percent healthy, McSorley’s ability to stretch plays with the run will certainly keep the Wildcats honest, as he’s rushed for 723 yards and 11 scores.

The Nittany Lions will have their work cut out for them in keeping heralded future top draft pick Josh Allen from getting to McSorley. When Coach James Franklin’s staff has had a month to prepare the offensive line unit for a bowl game, they’ve typically performed well, so it will be interesting to see if they can keep Allen out of the backfield. It won’t be easy as Allen has 84 tackles, 18.5 tackles for a loss, 14 sacks, two fumble recoveries and five forced fumbles.

On the defensive end, it will be all about getting pressure on quarterback Terry Wilson and limiting Kentucky running back Benny Snell Jr.’s explosive plays. Snell Jr. is the playmaker for the Wildcats offense, as he’s rushed for 1,305 yards and 14 touchdowns.

The Penn State defense finished the season strong, giving up just 6.6 points per game over its last three, and its ability to rush the passer improved as the season went on as well with defensive ends Shareef Miller and Yetur Gross-Matos, and defensive tackle Robert Windsor. Gross-Matos was one of the best pass rushers in the Big Ten this season, coming through with 20 tackles for a loss and eight sacks.

If the Nittany Lions can get constant pressure into the backfield, that will stopping Snell Jr. and make the Wildcats depend solely on Wilson, who has thrown for just 1,700 yards and 11 touchdowns. If Penn State can make the Wildcats depend on their passing game, especially on later downs, it should make a pretty good afternoon for the Nittany Lions defense.

Las Vegas has Penn State as a 6.5-point favorite against the Wildcats.

The key for Penn State will be to get McSorley going early and that means it will need to get the running game going early with Miles Sanders. Sanders, who is expected by many to leave early and enter the NFL draft after a 1,223-yard season with nine touchdowns, will certainly help the downfield passing game if he can break off a few big gains early on.

Also, consistency up front from the offensive line and from the wide receivers will be important as well. The more experienced contingent of receivers in Juwan Johnson, DeAndre Thompkins and Brandon Polk has not been as impressive as youngster KJ Hamler, Jahan Dotson and Pat Freiermuth. The whole receiving group must finish strong in this one.

I think with the time off, the Nittany Lions will be fresh and will play well offensively. I also think after Penn State’s impressive defensive effort against a really good running team in Maryland, it will be able to handle the Wildcats rushing attack.

My pick is Penn State 37, Kentucky 14.