What We Learned From Penn State's Stunning Win Over Rutgers

The Nittany Lions beat Rutgers for the 18th straight game to become bowl eligible.

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Kaytron Allen (13) scores a rushing touchdown during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

PISCATAWAY, N.J. | Penn State somehow escaped Rutgers with its most labor-intensive win of the season, a 40-36 victory that required another career game from Kaytron Allen, a fourth-down stop and critical holding penalty and the most Rutgers of fumbles.

Penn State linebacker Amare Campbell scored on a 61-yard fumble return in the fourth quarter, simply picking up a ball that Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis simply dropped, to turn over a game that looked desperately like a Rutgers win.

Despite allowing 36 points, the most ever to Rutgers, Penn State won its 18th straight game in the series and moved to 11-0 vs. the Scarlet Knights in the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions (6-6) also officially became bowl eligible.

Here's what we learned from the game.

Rutgers fumbles away the game

Touchdown Penn State.

Amare Campbell recovers the fumble for a 61yd Nittany lions score.

PSU: 40 || RU: 36

👉 https://t.co/XppRARGnmJ pic.twitter.com/dI3pEFAZNj

— Rutgers Scarlet Knights | The Knight Report (@RutgersOn3) November 29, 2025

Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis played a phenomenal game until he stood near midfield, hands on his helmets, watching stunned as the game ran away from him. Kaliakmanis mishandled a snap as Penn State's Dani Dennis-Sutton breathed hot fire on him in the backfield.

Linebacker Amare Campbell picked up the fumble and raced 61 yards with a convoy to the end zone, completely flipping the game. Rutgers had a chance to take a two-possession lead late in the fourth quarter against an offense that would need to throw. Instead, the Knights fell behind by four.

WHAT A CATCH FROM @RFootball'S KJ DUFF 🤯

📺: BTN pic.twitter.com/w8HTKGStrj

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 29, 2025

Rutgers fought back with a miracle third-down catch from receiver KJ Duff but couldn't parlay that into a score. On fourth down, Dennis-Sutton blew up the exchange, Zion Tracy got into the backfield and Campell finished Rutgers' Antwan Raymond for no gain and the most crucial stop of the game.

One more bonus for Penn State. The Nittany Lions faced 2nd and 26 from their own 12-yard line when Rutgers was called for a crippling holding penalty. The call produced an automatic first down with 2:17 remaining, and Penn State clinched the win with its third fourth-down conversion of the game.

Penn State's defense lost its fastball, until the end

Rutgers Scarlet Knights wide receiver KJ Duff (8) is tackled by Penn State Nittany Lions cornerback AJ Harris (4) during the first half at SHI Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Until that fourth-down stop, Penn State's defense looked panicked. Raymond (189 yards) blew threw holes and dragged defenders, and Duff (5 catches, 127 yards) caught everything thrown his way.

After two decisive games against Michigan State and Nebraska, Penn State's defense finished with a clunker. It could not solve Kaliakmanis' quick release or Raymond. Together, they led Rutgers to the most points it has scored in the 35-game series between the teams.

Kaliakmanis led Rutgers on three first-half touchdown drives, completing 9 of 13 passes for 176 yards and a score. Kaliakmanis completed seven of those passes for 16+ yards, including a 21-yard touchdown pass to DT Sheffield on which a Penn State defensive back fell.

Rutgers totaled more yards (296) in the first half alone than it had in its four previous games against Penn State. It also scored two touchdowns in a game against Penn State for the first time since joining the Big Ten.

Penn State sets two records on one series

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) celebrates after a touchdown run during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Fittingly, Kaytron Allen (career-high 226 yards rushing) and Nicholas Singleton added their names to Penn State's record book on the same series. Allen, who set the program's career-rushing record against Nebraska, became the first Penn State running back to reach 4,000 career rushing yards. He did son on a 55-yard run that nearly broke for a touchdown.

Three plays later, Singleton scored on an 11-yard run to break two of Saquon Barkley's career records. Singleton scored his 44th career rushing touchdown and his 54th career touchdown. Together. Singleton and Allen rushed for 188 yards in the first half.

Singleton later broke Barkley's career record for all-purpose yardage (5,403) on a 14-yard reception in the third quarter.

Ethan Grunkemeyer has some 2-minute chops

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer celebrates after a touchdown pass during the first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at SHI Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Grunkemeyer has come a long way from his first start at Iowa, which he made clear on a scoring drive to end the half. Grunkemeyer completed three passes for 48 yards in the last 22 seconds, getting the Nittany Lions into field-goal range. Ryan Barker's 31-yarder gave Penn State a 24-21 lead going into halftime.

Penn State began the possession at its own 30-yard line, benefitting from a short kick, with 27 seconds left and three timeouts. Instead of kneeling out the half, Smith instead called an aggressive finish, giving Grunkemeyer the green light to throw. He found Devonte Ross for 19 yards, then threw a lovely ball across the middle to Trebor Pena for 23 yards, setting up the field goal.

Up next

Penn State awaits its bowl destination. Games will be announced Dec. 7.

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