Penn State's Ethan Grunkemeyer to Enter Transfer Portal After Sparking Win Streak

The Ohio native helped salvage the Nittany Lions’ season.

Ethan Grunkemeyer produced for Penn State amid difficult circumstances. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Ethan Grunkemeyer helped Penn State get back on its feet in 2025, but it appears he won’t be around to help start its new era in 2026.

Grunkemeyer plans to enter the transfer portal, according to a Thursday afternoon report from Pete Thamel of ESPN. The potential move follows a four-game winning streak for the Nittany Lions that Grunkemeyer helped engineer.

The quarterback played high school football in the Columbus suburb of Lewis Center, Ohio. He has played 12 games in the collegiate ranks—one in 2024 and 11 in ‘25—with eight touchdowns against four interceptions.

Grunkemeyer’s reported departure comes amid a tumultuous period for Penn State, which came within three points of a national title game berth less than a year ago. The Nittany Lions fired longtime coach James Franklin (now at Virginia Tech) after a poor start, and needed to beat Michigan State, Nebraska and Rutgers in succession just to make a bowl game. Penn State then topped Clemson 22–10 in the Pinstripe Bowl, with Grunkemeyer completing 23 of 34 passes and tossing a pair of touchdown passes.

Longtime Toledo and Iowa State boss Matt Campbell will take over the Nittany Lions in 2026, debuting against Marshall on Sept. 5.

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