Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer (17) throws a pass against Nebraska during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)

BRONX, N.Y. – Penn State is set to take on Clemson in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl on Saturday, Dec. 27 at Yankee Stadium. Kickoff is set for noon on ABC.

SERIES HISTORY: Penn State meets Clemson for the second time in program history, previously meeting in the 1988 Citrus Bowl. The Tigers won 35-10 in that bowl game. Penn State’s Matt Knizner threw for 148 yards and a touchdown, connecting on a 39-yard pass to Mike Alexander. Leroy Thompson and Gary Brown combined for 106 rushing yards.

DYNAMIC DUO: Kaytron Allen, an All-Big Ten first-team selection, continued his strong 2025 campaign with 226 rushing yards and a touchdown at Rutgers, posting the 12th-most rushing yards in a game in program history and the most since Larry Johnson’s 279 against Michigan State in 2002. Allen had runs of 55, 43 and 50 yards while becoming the 23rd player in Big Ten history to reach the 4,000 career rushing yards mark. Allen now ranks 18th in Big Ten laurels with 4,180 career rushing yards, while sitting third all-time at Penn State in rushing touchdowns (39) and total touchdowns (43). Nicholas Singleton became Penn State’s career leader in rushing touchdowns (45), total touchdowns (55) and all-purpose yards (5,586), topping Saquon Barkley in all three categories. Singleton is tied-7th in Big Ten history in total touchdowns, tied-10th in rushing touchdowns and 12th in all-purpose yards.

CAMPBELL, DENNIS-SUTTON HIGHLIGHT ALL-BIG TEN DEFENSIVE HONORS: Junior LB Amare Campbell and senior DE Dani Dennis-Sutton picked up third-team All-Big Ten selections. Campbell leads the Nittany Lions with 96 tackles this season to go with 9.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. He is the only Big Ten player with 90+ tackles and 9.5+ tackles for loss this season. He had a 61-yard fumble return for a touchdown for the go-ahead score at Rutgers. Dennis-Sutton has recorded 38 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and three blocked punts this season. He is tied for fifth all-time at PSU with seven forced fumbles and tied for eighth with 21.5 sacks, while tying for the PSU season blocked punts record.

THE OPPOSITION: Clemson is 7-5 this season, including a 4-4 mark in ACC play. The Tigers finished the regular season with a 28-14 win over South Carolina. Cade Klubnik threw for 268 yards, including 101 yards to T.J. Moore, and scored on a 3-yard run. On the ground, Adam Randall gained 102 yards and had a 10-yard touchdown. Clemson held South Carolina to 41 rushing yards and forced four takeaways.

BY THE NUMBERS

4,180 – With 4,180 career rushing yards, Kaytron Allen became the 23rd Big Ten player to reach the 4,000 career rushing yards mark.

69.4 – At 69.4 percent, Ethan Grunkemeyer owns the best completion percentage in a season at Penn State (min. 100 attempts).

45/55 – Nicholas Singleton passed Saquon Barkley for the career rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns records at PSU.

13+ – Kaytron Allen (15) and Nicholas Singleton (13) are the first Big Ten teammates with 13+ rushing touchdowns in a season since 2012 (Ohio State).

PENN STATE EARNS 57TH POSTSEASON APPEARANCE

Penn State is making its 57th postseason appearance, including bowl and CFP appearances, tied for eighth all-time.

Penn State’s 33 postseason victories (bowl and CFP) are fourth nationally and lead all Big Ten schools.

The Nittany Lions’ 60.7 winning percentage in postseason games (bowl and CFP, 33-21-2 record) is No. 8 nationally among teams with at least 20 bowl appearances.

Penn State has played in 16 different bowl games and has played in each of the New Year’s Six bowls.

Penn State made its first postseason appearance in 1923 when it traveled across the country to face USC in the Rose Bowl Game to cap off the 1922 season.

PENN STATE IN THE PINSTRIPE BOWL

Penn State has played one previous game in the Pinstripe Bowl, earning a 31-30 overtime win in a thrilling game against Boston College in 2014.

Trailing 21-14 entering the fourth quarter, the Nittany Lions tied the game with 6:48 to go on a 16-yard touchdown pass from Christian Hackenberg to DaeSean Hamilton.

Boston College re-took the lead with 2:10 remaining on a 20-yard field goal. However, the Nittany Lions answered as Sam Ficken knocked in a 45-yard field goal with 20 seconds left.

In overtime, the Eagles scored a touchdown on their possession on a 21-yard pass from Tyler Murphy to David Dudeck, but missed the extra-point attempt.

On their possession, the Nittany Lions found the end zone on a 10-yard strike from Hackenberg to Kyle Carter before Ficken hit the game-winning extra-point.

The Nittany Lions gained 453 total yards, including Hackenberg’s 371 yards passing on 34-of-50 attempts.

Chris Godwin caught seven passes for 140 yards, including a 72-yard score. Eugene Lewis added seven catches for 82 yards and Hamilton had seven grabs for 51 yards.

Penn State defensive line coach Deion Barnes, defensive graduate assistant Jordan Lucas and director of performance science Andrew Nelson all played in the 2014 Pinstripe Bowl.

BOWL/CFP HISTORY VS. ACC

Penn State has a 5-3-2 record in 10 previous bowl/CFP games against current ACC teams, including one matchup against Clemson (L, 1988 Citrus Bowl).

The Nittany Lions earned a 38-10 win over SMU in the first round of the College Football Playoff in 2025 to improve to 1-0-1 in postseason games against the Mustangs. The teams also met in the 1948 Cotton Bowl (T, 13-13).

Penn State has met Florida State in three bowl games, the 1962 Gator Bowl (T, 17-17), the 1990 Blockbuster Bowl (L, 17-24) and the 2006 Orange Bowl (W, 26-23, 3 OT).

The Nittany Lions have played in one bowl each against Boston College (W, 2014 Pinstripe Bowl), Georgia Tech (W, 1961 Gator Bowl), Miami (W, 1987 Fiesta Bowl) and Stanford (L, 1993 Blockbuster Bowl).

PENN STATE VS. CLEMSON

Penn State and Clemson are set to battle for the second time in program history.

The Tigers claimed a 35-10 win over the Nittany Lions in the 1988 Citrus Bowl.

Clemson rushed for 285 yards and quarterback Danny Williams threw for 214 in that game.

The Nittany Lions, playing without leading rusher Blair Thomas sidelined due to injury, tallied 305 total yards.

Freshmen running backs Leroy Thompson and Gary Brown combined for 106 yards.

Matt Knizner threw for 148 yards, including a 39-yard strike to Mike Alexander.

Linebacker Trey Bauer was PSU’s defensive MVP with six tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack.

AMONG TOP PROGRAMS SINCE 2016

Penn State and Clemson have been among college football’s most accomplished teams since 2016.

The Nittany Lions own 93 wins since 2016, ranking ninth among FBS teams, while Clemson has 112 wins, sitting fourth.

Penn State has a .721 win percentage, holding 10th in the FBS, while Clemson owns a .818 winning percentage, good for fourth.

In home games, Penn State has a 56-13 record and a .817 win percentage, good for 11th among Power 4 schools, while Clemson has a 59-9 record and .868 win percentage, holding sixth.

Penn State has played in eight New Year’s Six/CFP games since 2016 with a 5-3 record and Clemson has played in 10 with a 5-5 mark.