After three years of waiting, it's once again time for Nittany Lions fans to break out the suntan lotion on New Year's Day -- maybe.

No matter what questions still surround the Penn State football team's final postseason destination, coach Joe Paterno said he's excited about the invitation his team received yesterday to play in the Capital One Bowl (formerly the Citrus Bowl) on Jan. 1 in Orlando.

Penn State's opponent will not be determined until after the South Eastern Conference's title game Saturday, although possible match-ups have been narrowed down to Georgia, Arkansas and Auburn.

"Obviously we're extremely excited to be able to offer an invitation to Penn State today to come and play in our game," Tom Mickle, Executive Director of Florida Citrus Sports said.

"They have a great history ... the last two games Penn State played in were the largest crowds in Citrus Bowl history."

Moreover, regardless of what wrangling the Big Ten and the Bowl Championship Series may go through, Paterno said he's quite confident that the Nittany Lions will be playing the SEC's second selection in the Capital One Bowl.

"It's something we are happy about," Paterno said. "We've got a good football team, and we'll take a lot of people with us as we always have. Our fans are very excited."

Though this is the Lions' 37th bowl appearance, the Capital One Bowl marks the first time Penn State will play in a bowl game since the 1999 Alamo Bowl.

This will be the fourth time the Lions will play in the Capital One Bowl, holding a 1-2 overall record, with their last trip being a 21-6 loss to Florida in 1998 which drew a stadium record 72,940 fans.

Paterno, who will be appearing in his 31st bowl game in 37 years, sees the trip as just rewards for the team that turned his program around after a pair of losing seasons.

"It's been a team that has really joined hands and had great leadership," Paterno said. "They got together and made up their minds that they were going to get it done. We're all excited to go together. I told them, 'We're going to have some fun.' "

While the team's travel plans have yet to be finalized, Paterno said the Lions will leave for Florida shortly after the players finish final exams the week of Dec. 20 and spend a couple of days at the beach in St. Petersburg before starting practice in Orlando.

If nothing else, Paterno said he was glad to know where the Lions were headed if for no other reason than to quiet everyone asking him about Penn State's possible destinations.

Not surprisingly, the loudest inquisitors were the kids -- make that Paterno's grandkids, possibly lured more by a certain mouse than a college football game.

"I don't know if I'm going to be with them, but they're going to be [at Disney World]," Paterno said of his 12 grandchildren under the age of eight. "They don't want me to go, people bug me, they want me to go on rides."

While his grandchildren might have a problem with Paterno taking them sightseeing in Orlando, he thinks his team is just enjoying the ride.