by NYCNews | 2025-12-08 14:55:28+00:00
Everything to Know About the Clemson–Penn State Bowl Game at Yankee Stadium

Bronx Voice December 8, 2025

BRONX LOCAL NEWS - College football fans, get ready—Clemson University and Penn State University are officially heading to New York City for one of the most unique postseason matchups of the year. Both powerhouse programs have accepted invitations to play in the 2025 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl, kicking off Saturday, December 27 at 12:00 p.m. ET on ABC. The game returns to its iconic home, Yankee Stadium, bringing together two historic college football brands in one of the sport’s most memorable settings. This will be the 15th edition of the Pinstripe Bowl, and the 11th straight featuring the ACC vs. Big Ten—but the Clemson–Penn State showdown adds even more intrigue. The programs have met only once before, back in the 1988 Citrus Bowl, where Clemson earned a 35–10 win. Nearly four decades later, the rematch arrives on one of sports’ most storied fields.

Clemson Football: A Season of Turnaround and Momentum Clemson enters the Pinstripe Bowl after one of the most impressive midseason turnarounds in program history. The Tigers started the year 1–3 but stormed back to finish 7–5 (4–4 ACC), closing with four straight wins—including a gritty 20–19 road victory over No. 19 Louisville. Head Coach Dabo Swinney, now in his 18th postseason with the Tigers, has led Clemson to 52 bowl appearances, including two College Football Playoff National Championships (2016 and 2018). This will be Clemson’s first-ever game at Yankee Stadium and its first Pinstripe Bowl appearance, making it a marquee moment for the program and its large New York–area alumni base.

Clemson Offensive Leaders

QB Cade Klubnik continues to rewrite the Clemson record books with his third consecutive 2,700+ yard season. He enters the bowl with 2,750 yards, 16 touchdowns, and a career-best 66.6% completion rate.

Converted wideout RB Adam Randall leads the ground game with 779 yards and nine TDs, emerging as one of the team’s most versatile weapons.

WR Antonio Williams (All-ACC Third Team) and WR T.J. Moore (team-high 754 receiving yards) headline a balanced receiving corps.

Clemson Defensive Leaders

LB Sammy Brown, an All-ACC First Team selection, anchors the defense with 91 tackles, 12.5 TFL, and five sacks.

S Ricardo Jones leads the ACC with six interceptions in his first year as a starter.

DE Will Heldt, DT Peter Woods, and CB Avieon Terrell give Clemson multiple All-ACC honorees across all levels of the defense.

Swinney called the opportunity “a great finish to the season” and said he’s thrilled for his players to experience “a bowl in New York City for the first time.”

Penn State Football: Powerhouse Rushing Attack & Strong Finish On the other sideline, Penn State arrives with momentum as well. The Nittany Lions finished 6–6 (3–6 Big Ten) but rallied late, winning their final three games to secure bowl eligibility. This marks Penn State’s 57th bowl appearance, and notably, the school becomes the first Big Ten program to appear in the Pinstripe Bowl multiple times, having previously won the game in 2014.

It’s also the team’s fifth all-time game at a Yankee Stadium venue, adding a unique historical layer to this matchup.

Penn State Offensive Leaders

RB Kaytron Allen leads the charge with a monster season—1,303 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns, ranking among the top backs in the Big Ten and the nation. He also became Penn State’s all-time leading rusher with 4,180 career yards.

RB Nicholas Singleton, another star in the backfield, adds 549 yards and 13 scores, moving to fourth on the school’s all-time rushing list.

QB Ethan Grunkemeyer, who stepped in after a season-ending injury to Drew Allar, completed 69.2% of his passes for 974 yards and five touchdowns in six starts.

Penn State Defensive Leaders

LB Amare Campbell, an All-Big Ten honoree, leads the defense with 96 tackles and three sacks.