Penn State's Top Offensive Player Questionable for Pinstripe Bowl

The Nittany Lions will miss a significant number of starters for the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson.

A general view of Yankee Stadium before the 2025 Pinstripe Bowl between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Clemson Tigers. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

NEW YORK | Penn State running back Kaytron Allen, the Big Ten's second-leading rusher, is listed as questionable for the Pinstripe Bowl, joining a significant number of Nittany Lions who might not play in the season-ending game at Yankee Stadium. A total of 10 Penn State starters have opted out of the game vs. Clemson, which concludes a disappointing season for both teams.

Allen, who became the first Penn State running back to top 4,000 career rushing yards, is listed on the availability report for the first time this season. Allen has been a durable two-year starter for the Nittany Lions, rushing for 1,303 yards and 15 touchdowns this year.

He led the Big Ten in average yards per carry (6.2) among backs with at least 150 carries. Allen has 4,180 career rushing yards. Penn State interim head coach Terry Smith said Friday that Allen would be in uniform and available for the game. It's unclear, however, how much he will play, if at all.

Penn State’s official availability report for the Pinstripe Bowl lists RB Kaytron Allen as questionable. Interim HC Terry Smith said that Allen is available for the game.

The “out” lists includes injured players and opt-outs. Ten starters will not play pic.twitter.com/TJYc4ChFb6

— Mark Wogenrich (@MarkWogenrich) December 27, 2025

Penn State's offense already looked markedly different, as six other starters will not play. That includes four starting offensive linemen, who are at Yankee Stadium but not in uniform. Tackles Drew Shelton and Nolan Rucci, All-America guard Vega Ioane and two-year starting center Nick Dawkins are out for the game. Running back Nicholas Singleton and tight end Khalil Dinkins are out as well.

Allen and Singleton accounted for 1,852 of Penn State's 2,130 rushing yards this season. No other running back carried the ball during the Big Ten schedule. Corey Smith, Cam Wallace and Quinton Martin Jr., Penn State's trio of backs expected to carry the rushing game vs. Clemson, have combined for 11 carries this season.

"The run game is still going to be critical to our success," Smith said. "I don't pinpoint a number of touches for the backs, but we're going to have to run the football and establish that run game to have some success."

Penn State's defense, which knew it would be missing four starters, also will be without safety Antonio Belgrave-Shorter, who missed the last three games. Starting tackle Zane Durant, end Zuriah Fisher, safety Zakee Wheatley and cornerback A.J. Harris are not playing. Penn State also is without freshman defensive end Chaz Coleman, who intends to enter the transfer portal.

Penn State's final availabiliy report of the season includes 33 players as "out," a list that dates to the beginning of the season. Former starting quarterback Drew Allar, who missed the second half of the season with an ankle injury, is at Yankee Stadium without a cast. The four offensive linemen who have opted out are at the game as well.

Former backup quarterback Jaxon Smolik, who was injured at Iowa and has not played since, is out for the sixth straight game. The availability report also served to remind that Penn State lost multiple players (including linebacker Tony Rojas, receiver Kaden Saunders, defensive end Max Granville, and receiver Peter Gonzalez) to season-ending injuries.

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