What Does Penn State Have Left for the Pinstripe Bowl? Preview, Predictions

The Nittany Lions conclude an unexpected season against Clemson at Yankee Stadium.

Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Andrew Rappleyea reacts after running the ball during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

A wild and unpredictable campaign is nearing an end for Penn State. The 2025 Nittany Lions will play one last game of football Saturday against Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl. 

It’ll be interim head coach Terry Smith’s final game leading Penn State, which seeks its fourth straight victory. The game at Yankee Stadium marks just the second time Penn State and Clemson have met, with the only other matchup being the 1988 Citrus Bowl, where the Nittany Lions fell 35-10. 

Here’s our Penn State-Clemson preview, including how to watch and predictions.

About the Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer runs with the ball during the second quarter against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Penn State is gearing up to end its season on a high note after a near month-long hiatus. The Nittany Lions look to carry their momentum from a three-game win streak (victories over Michigan State, Nebraska and Rutgers) to Saturday. They’ll have to do that with at least six starters unavailable due to various reasons. 

Offensive guard Vega Ioane, a projected first-round NFL draft pick, running back Nicholas Singleton, defensive tackle Zane Durant and safety Zakee Wheatley have all opted out of the Pinstripe Bowl ahead of the NFL draft. Defensive ends Zuriah Fisher and Chaz Coleman and cornerback A.J. Harris are no longer with the program.

Beyond them, others could elect to not play or be limited. Watch for cornerback Daryus Dixson and defensive end Yvan Kemajou to feast defensively. They have seen an uptick in snaps of late and could be key pieces to Penn State’s future. The Nittany Lions have allowed limited explosive plays this year (21st in the FBS in explosive play defense), and Dixson and Kemajou will be critical in keeping the Tigers from stretching the field. 

Offensively, running back Kaytron Allen, the program’s first player with 4,000 career rushing yards, is expected to play but might see limited snaps. With Singleton unlikely to play as well, young running backs Corey Smith, Cam Wallace and Quinton Martin Jr. should get the bulk of the carries. None carried the ball during the Big Ten schedule.

In the passing game, look for wide receivers Koby Howard and Tyseer Denmark to make an impact. The duo earned more playing time down the stretch, and Penn State was more willing to pass downfield later in the season. Redshirt freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer has thrown for 180+ yards in three of the last four games. Expect Howard and Denmark to eat up a good portion of the Nittany Lions’ passing attack on Saturday. 

About the Clemson Tigers

Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik rushes against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the second quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium. | Jeff Blake-Imagn Images

The Tigers also have been on a hot streak, winning their last four contests by a combined 64 points, including a 20-19 road victory over No. 20 Louisville. Clemson capped its regular season with a dominant 28-14 win over South Carolina in Columbia, where quarterback Cade Klubnik threw for 268 yards. 

Despite the strong effort in the regular-season finale, Klubnik had a down 2025 campaign, which contributed to the Tigers’ 7-5 record. The senior, a potential Heisman Trophy candidate in August, finished the regular season eighth in the ACC in passing (2,750 yards) and seventh in touchdowns (16). He’ll play in the Pinstripe Bowl in an attempt to improve his draft stock. 

Like Penn State, the Tigers will be without several key contributors Saturday. Among the opt-outs are defensive tackle Peter Woods and cornerback Avieon Terrell, both first-team all-ACC defensive players and projected first-round picks, per ESPN’s Field Yates. Head coach Dabo Swinney said that Clemson has a whopping 27 players, including seven starters, unavailable for Saturday. 

Aside from Klubnik, watch wide receiver T.J. Moore, who caught 46 passes for 754 yards and four touchdowns in the regular season. The Tigers will be without wide receiver Antonio Williams, who declared for the NFL draft, which will give Moore a more prominent role in the passing attack. 

Pinstripe Bowl predictions

A view of the Pinstripe Bowl trophy after the game between the Boston College Eagles and the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Yankee Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Chase Fisher: The Terry Smith interim head coach era is officially nearing an end. The six-game journey is one of the more memorable ones in Penn State’s recent history. He’s helped seamlessly transition the Nittany Lions into a new era, but he won’t have the storybook finish he wants on Saturday. While both teams are missing plenty of players, the Tigers’ offense is more dynamic, and it’s likely Penn State’s ground game (Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton) will be heavily limited. Clemson wins to end a wild 2025 season for the Nittany Lions. Clemson 34, Penn State 23

Amanda Vogt: This will be an interesting game with the amount of opt-outs known for Clemson and the few listed so far for Penn State. For both sides, this is an opportunity for younger players to get quality game experience, but I think Penn State will have a slight advantage. With this being Terry Smith's last game as interim head coach, I think the Nittany Lions will come out with a lot of energy in Yankee Stadium. Penn State 27, Clemson 24

Mark Wogenrich: Penn State has been running a two-track program in December, with Terry Smith coaching the 2025 team and Matt Campbell building one for 2026. For many, that has been exhausting. Penn State will run a team onto the field at Yankee Stadium, one that Smith said practiced well in State College but also has reached critical mass. What do the Nittany Lions have left? In a game of dueling makeshift rosters, maybe the weather or kickers or rusty quarterbacks will be the difference. Ultimately, the Nittany Lions likely run out of horsepower in the second half. Clemson 25, Penn State 23   

How to watch Penn State vs. Clemson

The Nittany Lions’ season finale will be aired at noon ET Saturday at Yankee Stadium The game will be televised on ABC, as well as streamed on the ESPN app. Play-by-play announcer Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek and Taylor McGregor will be on the call. 

Can’t watch? Listen to Steve Jones and Jack on the radio call for the Penn State Sports Network. The radio call also will be available on the Sirius/XM app channels 80/372.

What is the Penn State-Clemson betting line?

Penn State opened as a 1.5-point favorite over Clemson but since has dropped to a 3.5-point underdog, according to Fanduel. The over/under is set at 48.5 points. It’s just the fourth time this season the Nittany Lions have been underdogs.

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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