Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1542734
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 6 9 OPENING SHOT EARNING THEIR STRIPES A difficult season ended on an upbeat note when Penn State defeated Clemson, 22-10, on Dec. 27 in the Pinstripe Bowl. As expected, both teams were without many key players for their clash at Yankee Stadium in New York. The Nittany Lions' absentee list included their top two rush- ers, Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, along with four-fifths of their starting offensive line and a trio of defensive stal- warts in safety Zakee Wheatley, tackle Zane Durant and edge rusher Zuriah Fisher. In addition, the Lions' coaching staff was shorthanded due to the leader- ship transition that was well underway in the wake of Matt Campbell's appoint- ment as the program's permanent head coach in early December. Campbell wasn't involved in the prepa- rations for Clemson, and in the end, he wasn't even able to attend the game due to a winter storm that had blanketed the Northeast in snow, snarling air travel in and out of New York. But despite all the challenges in the weeks leading up to the game, interim head coach Terry Smith (left, with trophy) coaxed a victory out of his revamped team on a frigid afternoon in the Bronx. Redshirt freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer was one of the stars, com- pleting 23 of 34 attempts for 260 yards, including a 73-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Trebor Peña in the fourth quarter that allowed the Lions to pull away. In addition, the defense shined un- der the direction of interim coordinator Anthony Poindexter, holding Clemson to 236 yards of total offense. Following the win, which left Penn State with a 7-6 record after it had dropped six of its first nine games, Smith found himself holding back tears in an on-field interview with ABC sideline reporter Tay- lor McGregor. "I couldn't be more proud of these kids," he said. "They played their hearts out. What a resilient group. They could have laid down and quit. They didn't have to show up here at the Pinstripe Bowl, but they did, and they played re- ally, really hard. It's a testament to Penn State and the character it builds, coming to a great university like this." — Matt Herb PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS