First look: Top storylines, betting odds for Clemson vs. Penn State bowl game
It’s officially Pinstripe Bowl week.
Clemson and Penn State haven’t had the football seasons they’ve expected, but both programs have a chance to end the year on a high note in Yankee Stadium.
Here’s your first look at Saturday’s ACC-Big Ten matchup.
2025 Pinstripe Bowl: Clemson vs. Penn State
- Who: Clemson (7-5) vs. Penn State (6-6)
- When: noon Saturday
- Where: Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York
- TV: ABC
- Stream: Via ESPN.com or the ESPN app
Vegas odds: Clemson-Penn State point spread
Clemson is favored by 4.5 points against Penn State as of Monday, per the VegasInsider.com consensus betting line. Penn State opened as a slight favorite when the matchup was first announced, but the odds quickly flipped toward the Tigers.
ESPN’s Football Power Index thinks differently, though. That model gives Penn State a 65.3% chance of beating Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Clemson vs. Penn State last meeting, trends
Clemson and Penn State – two of college football’s top 15 all-time winningest programs – are meeting for the first time in 37 years and second time ever.
In their first meeting, Danny Ford and Clemson beat Joe Paterno and Penn State 35-10 in the 1988 Citrus Bowl held in Orlando, Florida. Penn State’s 25-point loss in that game is still the largest margin of defeat in a bowl game in program history.
State of the Clemson Tigers
It’s been a long season for Dabo Swinney and Clemson.
After winning the ACC championship and making the College Football Playoff in 2024, the Tigers were the AP’s preseason No. 4 team and a trendy national champion pick. But they lost three of their first four games and were essentially out of the CFP race by mid-September.
A 3-5 start exposed some serious on-field and off-field deficiencies that Swinney must address in the offseason if Clemson’s going to get back to an elite level. But his group deserves credit for winning four straight to close the regular season, including a gutsy win at rival South Carolina.
Between injuries, transfers and NFL Draft opt-outs, Clemson is down 27 scholarship players from its Week 1 roster. That includes eight players who started the team’s regular-season finale against the Gamecocks – and six of 11 defensive starters.
Senior quarterback Cade Klubnik will make his 40th and final start as a Tiger in the Pinstripe Bowl and try to help Clemson head into 2026 with some momentum.
State of the Penn State Nittany Lions
The only other team that flopped as epically as Clemson in 2025? Its bowl opponent.
Penn State was the AP preseason No. 2 team entering this season, and it felt like everything was on the table for coach James Franklin and the Nittany Lions after they reached the 2024 CFP semifinals. Star quarterback Drew Allar, among others, returned to run the table.
But disastrous losses to UCLA and Northwestern in back-to-back games – the latter at home – spelled the end of Franklin’s PSU tenure. Penn State became the first team in college football history to lose consecutive games to unranked teams when favored by 20 or more points. Franklin (now Virginia Tech’s coach) was fired Oct. 12.
Players rallied around interim coach Terry Smith and won three straight games to clinch bowl eligibility after a 3-6 start. Penn State has its fair share of opt-outs, transfers and injuries, too, and is also dealing with coaching turnover as new coach Matt Campbell (formerly Iowa State) gets his new staff in place.
One star still in available for the Pinstripe Bowl as of Monday: Kaytron Allen, the school’s all-time leading rusher who is averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
Clemson vs. Penn State players to watch
Clemson WR T.J. Moore: With Antonio Williams and Bryant Wesco Jr. injured, Moore is Clemson’s undisputed WR1 against Penn State and can end his sophomore season with a bang. He leads the team with 754 receiving yards
Clemson DE Will Heldt: The Purdue transfer leads Clemson in tackles for loss and sacks and recently announced he’ll return for 2026. He’ll need to be extra productive for a defensive line that’s lost three starters to NFL Draft opt-outs.
Penn State QB Ethan Grunkemeyer: After Allar suffered a season-ending injury, Grunkmeyer, a redshirt freshman, stepped in as the team’s starter and has been serviceable with a 3-3 record. He doesn’t throw much (14.4 attempts per game).
Penn State S King Mack: Junior has emerged as a key leader on the defense after transferring back to PSU after one season at Alabama and has 56 total tackles.
