Piscataway, N.J——Before a sellout crowd of 55,212 in Piscataway, Penn State survived a wild second half and held off Rutgers 40–36, extending its dominance in the series and securing bowl eligibility at the end of a turbulent season.
Kaytron Allen powered the Nittany Lions with a career-best 226 rushing yards and a touchdown, continually breaking tackles and keeping Penn State’s offense afloat during momentum swings. But it was the defense that delivered the decisive blow late.
With 7:27 remaining, linebacker Amare Campbell scooped up a loose ball and sprinted 61 yards for the go-ahead score. Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis lost control of the ball without contact, and Campbell’s return flipped a game that had already featured multiple dramatic shifts.
Rutgers (5–7, 2–7 Big Ten) had just taken a 36–33 lead earlier in the fourth quarter when Kaliakmanis connected with Antwan Raymond on a 46-yard strike. Raymond delivered an exceptional performance, rushing for 189 yards, while Kaliakmanis threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns as the Scarlet Knights’ offense repeatedly challenged Penn State’s defense.
The second half became a shootout, producing four lead changes and constant trading of big plays.
For Penn State (6–6, 3–6 Big Ten), the victory capped a season defined by adversity. After last year’s College Football Playoff semifinal appearance, the Nittany Lions entered this season ranked No. 2 nationally and appeared poised for a title push behind quarterback Drew Allar, who opened the year as a Heisman contender. But Allar’s season ended abruptly with a leg injury in Week 6 against Northwestern, derailing the offense.
The following day, head coach James Franklin was dismissed after the team dropped its first three conference games — including consecutive losses as heavy favorites — triggering a five-game skid that threatened to unravel the season. Despite the chaos, Penn State regrouped, closing the year with three straight wins to extend its bowl streak, which only lapsed in 2020 when non-CFP bowls were canceled due to the pandemic.
Takeaways
Penn State:
Nicholas Singleton surpassed several long-standing program marks, passing Saquon Barkley to become the school’s all-time leader in rushing touchdowns (44 and 45), career touchdowns (55), and all-purpose yards (5,586).
Rutgers:
The Scarlet Knights reached a rare statistical milestone. For only the second time in school history, they featured a 3,000-yard passer (Kaliakmanis), a 1,000-yard rusher (Raymond), and a 1,000-yard receiver (KJ Duff) in the same season.
Up Next:
Penn State:
The Nittany Lions now await their postseason destination.
Rutgers:
The Scarlet Knights fall short of bowl eligibility for the first time since 2022.
