{"id":64130,"date":"2025-12-08T12:23:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T12:23:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/64130\/"},"modified":"2025-12-08T12:23:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T12:23:09","slug":"bronx-zoo-battle-on-tap-between-clemson-and-penn-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/64130\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Bronx Zoo’ Battle On Tap Between Clemson and Penn State"},"content":{"rendered":"

by WILL FOLKS<\/a><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Clemson University<\/a> will close out its 2025 football campaign in the Bronx, playing Penn State<\/a> in the fifteenth installment of the Pinstripe Bowl<\/a>. The Tigers (7-5) and Nittany Lions (6-6) will kickoff at 12:00 p.m. EST on Saturday, December 27, 2025 at Yankee Stadium \u2013 the iconic baseball mecca which has hosted this game since its inception in 2010.<\/p>\n

ABC will television the game nationally.<\/p>\n

This \u201cBronx Zoo\u201d battle features two of the nation\u2019s most prestigious programs, with 107 combined bowl appearances (56 for PSU, 51 for Clemson), 60 bowl victories (33 for PSU, 27 for Clemson) and five national championships (3 for Clemson, 2 for PSU) between them. <\/p>\n

Certainly, the Bronx was not where either team expected to be conclude their 2025 campaign. Both teams began the year as top College Football Playoff (CFP<\/a>) contenders with legitimate national championship aspirations.<\/p>\n

Penn State entered the fall ranked No. 2\/3 nationally under 12th year head coach James Franklin<\/a> \u2013 but stumbled to a 3-3 record, ultimately leading to Franklin\u2019s firing. He has since accepted the head coaching position at Virginia Tech<\/a>.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

In fairness to the Nittany Lions, five of their six losses came in one-score games \u2013 including a pair of one-score losses to top ten teams.<\/p>\n

Last week, the school hired Matt Campbell<\/a> to an eight-year deal, referring to him as \u201cthe right leader at the right time for Penn State Football.\u201d<\/p>\n

Clemson began the year ranked No. 4\/6 nationally, but lost three of its first four games and fell out of the rankings completely. Head coach Dabo Swinney<\/a>\u2018s team entered November with a 3-5 record \u2013 but reeled off four straight victories to close out the campaign (including a clutch road win over No. 20 Louisville<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Those victories secured the Tigers their 21st consecutive bowl appearance \u2013 tied for the fourth-longest active streak in the nation (behind only Georgia, Oklahoma and Alabama). Clemson has actually been bowl-eligible in every season dating back to 1999, but the Tigers declined to accept a bid following a brawl against South Carolina<\/a> in the final game of the 2004 season.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are super excited to accept our invitation to the Pinstripe Bowl to be able to play in historic Yankee Stadium, to have Christmas in New York and to play a historic opponent like Penn State,\u201d Swinney said. \u201cI\u2019ve been to a lot of bowls in my life as a player and coach at Alabama and as a coach at Clemson, but this is the first time in my life that I\u2019ve had the opportunity to play in a bowl in New York City.\u201d<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) is all alone as he breaks away from Furman during first-half action in Clemson, S.C. on Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025. (Travis Bell\/SIDELINE CAROLINA)<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

While Clemson and Penn State are among the most storied programs in college football, they\u2019ve only met on the gridiron once \u2013 a decisive 35-10 Tiger victory in the 1988 Citrus Bowl. Former head coach Danny Ford<\/a>\u2018s team \u2013 led by quarterback Rodney Williams<\/a> \u2013 scored 21 unanswered points in the second half to deal Nittany Lions\u2019 head coach Joe Paterno<\/a> his worst bowl defeat ever.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s Tiger squad is led by senior signal caller Cade Klubnik<\/a>, who ranks fourth on the school\u2019s all-time passing charts (behind Tajh Boyd<\/a>, Deshaun Watson<\/a> and Trevor Lawrence<\/a>) with 9,930 yards. Klubnik also ranks fourth in the Clemson record book with 73 career passing touchdowns.<\/p>\n

The Austin, Texas native has added another 891 yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground during his Clemson career.<\/p>\n

Penn State\u2019s offense is led by senior tailback Kaytron Allen<\/a>, who has racked up 1,303 yards on 210 carries this season \u2013 securing his second consecutive 1,000-yard campaign. The 5-foot-11, 219-pound native of Norfolk, Virginia also has 15 touchdowns, which is tied for tops in the Big Ten. <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Penn State running back Kaytron Allen celebrates with his teammates. (PSU Football)<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Joining Allen in the Nittany Lions\u2019 backfield is fellow senior Nicholas Singleton<\/a>, who also has a pair of 1,000-yard seasons under his belt. While technically Allen\u2019s backup, Singleton is viewed by NFL analysts as a consensus top five running back in next year\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n

Running behind 6-foot-4, 323-pound junior guard Olaivavega Ioane<\/a> \u2013 arguably the best interior lineman in the upcoming draft class \u2013 Allen and Singleton will test a Tigers\u2019 defense which boasts projected NFL first round picks Peter Woods<\/a> and T.J. Parker<\/a> up front.<\/p>\n

While it\u2019s not the postseason destination either program envisioned, the Pinstripe Bowl promises to provide fans of both teams with a compelling matchup \u2013 not to mention one last look at some of the elite talent expected to come off the board early in next spring\u2019s draft.<\/p>\n

Penn State has opened as the early favorite in this game, with Clemson being installed as a 1.5-point underdog.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

ABOUT THE AUTHOR\u2026<\/p>\n

Will Folks<\/a>\u00a0is the founding editor of the news outlet you are currently reading. Prior to founding FITSNews, he served as press secretary to the governor of South Carolina. He lives in the Midlands region of the state with his wife and eight children.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

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