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Penn State vs. Clemson Prediction: Pinstripe Bowl Preview

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Steven Lassan | Last updated Dec 26, 2025 3:49 PM ET

College football’s bowl slate for the 2025-26 season continues with Penn State and Clemson meeting in the Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 27. The Tigers and Nittany Lions had preseason aspirations of contending for the national title, but both teams underachieved and will be looking to use Saturday’s game as a chance to finish ‘25 on a high note.

Clemson was a heavy preseason favorite to win the ACC this year, but a 1-3 start and a lack of progression on both sides of the ball ended those hopes by the end of September. Coach Dabo Swinney’s team rebounded a bit in November with four straight wins, including a 28-14 victory over rival South Carolina. However, the Tigers did not beat a ranked opponent and the seven-win mark was the lowest for the program since ‘10.

Penn State seemed poised for a deep run in the College Football Playoff after coming on the doorstep of playing for the national championship last year. The Nittany Lions bolstered the roster through the portal, retained a couple of key players, and made a key coaching move to hire Jim Knowles as the program’s defensive coordinator. While those moves drew plenty of offseason praise, Penn State couldn’t take the step forward most expected. The James Franklin era ended after a 22-21 loss to Northwestern on Oct. 11, and interim coach Terry Smith rallied the team with three consecutive victories in November to reach bowl eligibility.

Clemson defeated Penn State 35-10 in 1988 in the only previous meeting between these two teams. The Nittany Lions won the ‘14 Pinstripe Bowl with a 31-30 outcome over Boston College.

Pinstripe Bowl: Penn State vs. Clemson Odds, Details

Location: Yankee Stadium in Bronx, N.Y.
Kickoff: Saturday, Dec. 27 at Noon ET
TV: ABC
Spread: Clemson -3
Over/Under: 48.5
Announcers: Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek, Taylor McGregor

Penn State vs. Clemson: Keys to Victory

Oct 18, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions interim head coach Terry Smith leads his team onto the field before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn ImagesJeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Why Penn State Will Win The Pinstripe Bowl

The ‘25 season was a disappointing one for Penn State, but Smith kept the team together and found some momentum down the stretch to make this game. The Nittany Lions will be without a couple of key players, including running back Nicholas Singleton and guard Vega Ioane on offense. And on the defensive side, linemen Zane Durant, Chaz Coleman, and Zuriah Fisher, along with defensive backs Zakee Wheatley, Elliott Washington II and A.J. Harris are expected to miss this game.

While that list of players is significant, Clemson is also dealing with a handful of opt outs that will impact the starting lineup. In a game with several new faces being asked to step up, the Nittany Lions should be hungry to finish a disappointing season on a high note.

Running back Kaytron Allen ranked second in the Big Ten (108.6 yards a game) in rushing production and teamed with Singleton to form one of the nation’s top backfields. Singleton is not expected to play, but Allen’s status remains uncertain. If the senior suits up on Saturday, he should find plenty of room against Clemson’s revamped front.

Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer was pressed into the starting role after a season-ending injury to Drew Allar. The redshirt freshman showed steady improvement as the season progressed and ended with a strong November (881 yards and five touchdown tosses). With a full set of bowl practices, Grunkemeyer has a chance to continue that improvement.

Why Clemson Will Win The Pinstripe Bowl

Both teams are navigating some roster chaos with transfers and opt outs, but Clemson is arguably in better shape on this front. Swinney’s team has quarterback Cade Klubnik, running back Adam Randall, receiver T.J. Moore, and the bulk of the starting offensive line available on Saturday. Penn State’s defense is missing a couple of key defenders up front and in the secondary. Additionally, this unit is thin on experience and options at linebacker.

Clemson’s defense won’t have defensive standouts up front in Peter Woods, T.J. Parker, and DeMonte Capehart, while linebacker Wade Woodaz (injury), and cornerback Avieon Terrell (NFL) are also out. Despite those personnel departures, coordinator Tom Allen still has pieces to work with, including end Will Heldt, linebacker Sammy Brown, and safety Ricardo Jones.

Although Clemson’s roster is retooled, Klubnik should be able to take advantage of Penn State’s shorthanded defense. And when the Tigers are on defense, Swinney’s group should have an edge over a Nittany Lions’ attack asking new faces to step up at the skill spots and the offensive line thanks to opt outs and transfers.

Pinstripe Bowl Prediction: Clemson 27, Penn State 20

This is a tough matchup to get a read on with both rosters navigating significant turnover. Motivation is also an issue for Clemson and Penn State following a disappointing ‘25 season. The guess here is Klubnik is likely the difference to swing this matchup in favor of the Tigers.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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