{"id":82661,"date":"2025-12-28T11:57:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-28T11:57:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/82661\/"},"modified":"2025-12-28T11:57:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T11:57:14","slug":"clemson-loses-bronx-zoo-battle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/82661\/","title":{"rendered":"Clemson Loses ‘Bronx Zoo’ Battle"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

***<\/p>\n

Two teams that began the 2025 season with legitimate national championship aspirations ended their campaigns in a middle-tier bowl game in the Bronx on a snowy Saturday \u2013 with Penn State<\/a> outlasting Clemson<\/a> 22-10 to claim the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Or the \u201cDisappointment Bowl,\u201d as sports writer Scott Dochterman<\/a> dubbed it.<\/p>\n

Both teams concluded campaigns that left fans crestfallen \u2013 finishing with identical 7-6 records. The Nittany Lions will have the momentum headed into the offseason, though, as they reeled off four straight victories under interim head coach Terry Smith<\/a> to close out the year.<\/p>\n

Former Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell<\/a> will soon take the reins of the Penn State program \u2013 with Smith remaining on staff to coach defensive backs.<\/p>\n

Senior defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton<\/a> was dominant in his final collegiate start for Penn State, recording two sacks and a pair of tackles for loss against the Tigers \u2013 who sputtered on offense in senior quarterback Cade Klubnik<\/a>\u2018s final game at Clemson.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik and the Tigers\u2019 offense struggle mightily against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in New York on Saturday, December 27, 2025. (Clemson Football)<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Klubnik completed 22 of 39 passes (56.4%) for 193 yards against a stout Nittany Lions\u2019 defense playing without multiple starters \u2013 including defensive tackle Zane Durant<\/a> and safety Zakee Wheatley<\/a>. Klubnik did break Tajh Boyd<\/a>\u2018s school record for completions (901) during the first half of the game, however.<\/p>\n

The preseason Heisman contender finished his Clemson career with 916 completions on 1,432 attempts (63.4%) for 10,123 yards. During the game, Klubnik passed Trevor Lawrence<\/a> to move into third place on the school\u2019s all-time passing yardage list behind Boyd and Deshaun Watson<\/a>. He would have likely passed Watson had it not been for six dropped passes by his wideouts and eight pass breakups by Penn State defenders.<\/p>\n

The drops were particularly costly \u2013 especially considering Clemson could get absolutely nothing going on the ground. The Tigers amassed just 43 rushing yards on their first trip to Yankee Stadium \u2013 their second lowest total of the season (ahead of the 31 yards gained on the ground during their season-opening loss<\/a> to LSU). Clemson also tied its lowest point total of the season, matching the 10 points put up against the Bayou Bengals back in August).<\/p>\n

Those anemic numbers are unlikely to do anything to silence the drumbeat of discontent surrounding third-year offensive coordinator Garrett Riley<\/a> \u2013 with many expecting head coach Dabo Swinney<\/a> to part ways with the underperforming play-caller after such an embarrassing exclamation mark to what was already a lackluster campaign.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Defensively, Clemson was playing without projected NFL first round picks\u00a0Peter Woods<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0T.J. Parker<\/a> \u2013 as well as future NFL cornerback Avieon Terrell<\/a> and mid-round defensive tackle DeMonte Capehart<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As for Penn State, four of its five offensive linemen did not suit up \u2013 including 6-foot-4, 323-pound junior guard Olaivavega Ioane<\/a>, who is arguably the best interior lineman in the upcoming draft class. Senior tailback\u00a0Nicholas Singleton<\/a> \u2013 another future NFL draft pick \u2013 also opted out of the game, while his backfield mate Kaytron Allen<\/a> did not play due to injury. <\/p>\n

Singleton and Allen combined for more than 1,850 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2025.<\/p>\n

Making the most of the opportunity presented by these absences was redshirt freshman tailback Quinton Martin Jr<\/a>. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound native of Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania had just 32 yards on 13 carries for his entire collegiate career entering Saturday\u2019s bowl game. Despite this lack of experience, he racked up 101 yards on 20 carries against the Tigers.<\/p>\n

Of interest? Penn State\u2019s running backs coach is former Temple head coach Stan Drayton<\/a> \u2013 who was just hired to help new South Carolina offensive coordinator Kendal Briles<\/a>\u00a0try and reorient South Carolina\u2019s moribund offense<\/a>. South Carolina also hired Penn State\u2019s defensive line coach Deion Barnes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer unloads downfield as Clemson edge rusher Will Heldt closes in during second half action at the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium in New York on Saturday, December 27, 2025. (Penn State Football) <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer<\/a> \u2013 who has led the Nittany Lions\u2019 offense since starter Drew Allar<\/a> went down with a broken ankle in mid-October \u2013 won his fourth straight game after losing his first three starts under center. Grunkemeyer completed 23 of 34 passes (67.7%) for a career-high 262 yards and two touchdowns against the Tigers.<\/p>\n

Grunkemeyer was lights out during the second half \u2013 including a 73-yard touchdown strike to senior wide receiver Trebor Pe\u00f1a<\/a> that blew the game open early in the fourth quarter. After hauling in a 23-yard reception from Grunkemeyer, Pe\u00f1a \u2013 who was born in the Bronx \u2013 took full advantage of twin failures by Tiger defenders Ricardo Jones<\/a> and Corian Gipson<\/a> to wrap him up and bring him to the ground.<\/p>\n

Having shed these two Clemson defensive backs, Pe\u00f1a raced fifty yards the rest of the way for the game\u2019s first touchdown\u2026<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Just keep running, 73-yards to the house!#WeAre<\/a> | @PinstripeBowl<\/a> on ABC pic.twitter.com\/fZaFHyUEIX<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) December 27, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Pe\u00f1a caught five passes for 100 yards en route to being named the bowl\u2019s most valuable player.<\/p>\n

While Penn State celebrated its win, neither program particularly enjoyed its postseason fate \u2013 especially given the rarified air both teams were breathing at the start of the 2025 campaign.<\/p>\n

The Nittany Lions reached the College Football Playoff (CFP<\/a>) semi-final under former head coach James Franklin<\/a> last season \u2013 and entered 2025 ranked No. 2\/3 nationally. After a 3-3 start \u2013 including an embarrassing road loss to UCLA \u2013 Franklin was fired. He has since accepted the head coaching position at\u00a0Virginia Tech<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As for Clemson, the Tigers also made the CFP last season and entered 2025 ranked No. 4\/6 nationally \u2013 but ended up posting their worst record since 2010, Swinney\u2019s second full season in Tigertown. <\/p>\n

The bowl loss also guaranteed Clemson will finish the season outside of the Top 25 \u2013 the first time that\u2019s happened since 2010. Prior to this season, Clemson had finished its past fourteen campaigns in the national rankings \u2013 including thirteen straight Top 20 finishes, eight Top Ten finishes, seven playoff appearances, four title game appearances and a pair of national championships.<\/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

WANNA SOUND OFF? <\/p>\n

Got something you\u2019d like to say in response to one of our articles? Or an issue you\u2019d like to address proactively? We have an open microphone policy! Submit your letter to the editor (or guest column) via email HERE<\/a>. Got a tip for a story?\u00a0CLICK HERE<\/a>. Got a technical question or a glitch to report?\u00a0CLICK HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n