Penn State football vs Clemson: 3 things we learned in Pinstripe Bowl

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Just a few weeks ago, Penn State football was three games under .500 and at risk of a losing season for the first time since 2020.

But on a frigid Saturday afternoon inside Yankee Stadium, the Nittany Lions dashed those fears for good and crawled to a 22-10 win in the Pinstripe Bowl vs. Clemson.

While new head coach Matt Campbell wasn’t at the helm for the Nittany Lions’ win over the Tigers, interim coach Terry Smith continued his brief tenure in command and brought home the 32nd bowl game win in program history.

Despite a slow start in the snow, the Nittany Lions found their way to a confident win over the Tigers. Here’s three things we learned from Penn State’s win over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl.

On a day of opt-outs, Penn State football defense opted in

Defense might not win a championship for Penn State this season, but it did at the very least bring home another bowl game win.

And among a fleet of players who opted out, either for injury or another myriad of reasons, Dani Dennis-Sutton retained his position as one of the shining spots on the Nittany Lions’ defense. The senior was a force all through the first half, picking up four total tackles and two sacks, including one for a loss of 15 yards on a crucial third down in the second quarter. He racked up another after halftime, when Clemson was pushing downfield and trying to close the gap.

On a day when other starters were opting out and crucial parts of the Nittany Lions defense sat out, Dennis-Sutton remained. Their subsequent win came as a result.

Quinton Martin provided a preview of what he can be

In his last game of the season, the redshirt freshman stepped into the primary rushing role for the Nittany Lions and took control. Martin didn’t see a single snap during the regular season, but ended his afternoon against the Tigers with a game-high 101 yards on 20 carries and converting six first downs for the Lions along the way.

As young as he is, and for as little action as he has seen in 2025, Martin still took over the role dominated by Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton through the regular season.

Saturday was a difficult day for any offensive player to break through, and Martin found a way to stand out. What that might mean for him next season, when the running backs room will be more open than ever, could see him finally find his footing.

Ethan Grunkemeyer’s game management

Sure, the cold was a factor − neither Penn State nor Clemson were able to get their offenses rolling in the cold weather inside Yankee Stadium until well into the fourth quarter. But Ethan Grunkemeyer, who has grown into the starting quarterback role since Drew Allar’s injury, did what he needed to do.

Battling through the cold, Grunkemeyer did what he needed to do: manage the offense. He kept Penn State moving with short passes, completing 23 of 34 for 262 yards and two touchdowns. His touchdown pass to Trebor Pena was one of his two completions over 20 yards.

Grunkemeyer did what was needed of him. With the clock winding down in the second quarter, he brought Penn State close enough for Ryan Barker to kick a 48-yard field goal and retake the lead. When Penn State found its feet in the fourth quarter, he cashed in both of his scoring drives and ensured the Lions ended the season with a win.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: 3 lessons from Penn State’s win vs. Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl

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