Bronx, NY— In biting cold and swirling winds at Yankee Stadium, Penn State found its rhythm late and pulled away from Clemson for a 22–10 victory Saturday afternoon in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer delivered the finest performance of his young career, throwing for a personal-best 262 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Nittany Lions. His signature moment came early in the fourth quarter, when he connected with Trebor Pena on a 73-yard touchdown that broke open a tight, defensive battle.
Playing just hours after a snowstorm blanketed the Bronx, both teams labored through frigid conditions. The temperature hovered at 28 degrees at kickoff, with wind chills dipping into the teens and snow piled along the edges of the field. Clean execution was hard to come by, but Penn State steadily gained control behind Grunkemeyer’s poise and accuracy.
Making his seventh start since Drew Allar went down with an injury, Grunkemeyer completed 23 of 34 passes, setting career highs in both attempts and completions.
“Each week he continued to grow,” interim coach Terry Smith said. “Today was the best version of him we’ve seen.”
That growth showed on the decisive strike to Pena. Catching the ball near midfield, Pena slipped past coverage, outran Clemson safety Ricardo Jones, and raced untouched down the left sideline to give Penn State a 15–3 advantage with 12:51 remaining.
“It was man coverage, and I knew he’d have a seam,” Grunkemeyer said. “Once he got inside leverage, I just had to put it on him. He took care of the rest.”
Later in the quarter, Grunkemeyer again pushed Penn State deep into Clemson territory with a 35-yard completion to Devonte Ross. Two plays later, he capped the drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Rappleyea, extending the lead to 22–10 and sealing the outcome.
Pena finished with five receptions for 100 yards, marking the third 100-yard game of his career. His impact earned him Pinstripe Bowl MVP honors.
Before the touchdowns, Penn State leaned on kicker Ryan Barker to keep the scoreboard moving. Barker converted field goals of 22, 48, and 43 yards as the Nittany Lions repeatedly marched into scoring range.
Penn State (7–6) closed the season on a four-game winning streak under Smith, who took over after James Franklin’s departure following an Oct. 11 loss to Northwestern. The program will turn the page next season with Matt Campbell stepping in as head coach.
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik wrapped up his college career by completing 22 of 39 passes for 193 yards, but he faced constant pressure, absorbing four sacks and seeing eight of his passes broken up.
“We left too many chances on the field,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said. “Against a good defense, you can’t afford that.”
The Tigers’ lone touchdown came midway through the fourth quarter when Adam Randall powered in from two yards out, briefly cutting the deficit to 15–10. It proved to be Clemson’s final spark.
Clemson (7–6) saw its four-game winning streak snapped and was held to its lowest bowl-game point total since a 10–7 loss to LSU in the 1999 Peach Bowl.
Takeaways
Penn State: With leading rusher Kaytron Allen sidelined by injury, Quentin Martin emerged unexpectedly. Entering the game with just 32 career rushing yards, Martin finished with 101 yards on 20 carries.
Clemson: The Tigers never established a running game, managing only 43 rushing yards — their second-lowest total of the season.
Up Next
Penn State will open the Matt Campbell era next season at home against Marshall. Clemson begins the 2026 campaign at LSU, ushering in a new chapter at quarterback following Klubnik’s departure.
