The Penn State Nittany Lions can now see their future after defeating the Clemson Tigers in the Pinstripe Bowl.
The Penn State Nittany Lions ended what was an otherwise disastrous 2025 college football season on a high note Saturday, defeating the Clemson Tigers 22-10 in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Yes, it was a rather hollow victory considering Penn State entered the campaign with national championship aspirations and instead finished just 7-6, but at least the Nittany Lions finished over the .500 mark, right?
Penn State now has a new head coach in Matt Campbell, who must discover who will be playing quarterback for the team in 2026. But he may already have his answer.
Ethan Grunkemeyer.
Saturday served as a rather big test for Grunkemeyer, and the redshirt freshman delivered, going 23-for-34 with 262 yards and a couple of touchdowns.
While Penn State faces a major question mark in its receiving corps heading into 2026 with Trebor Pena, Devonte Ross and Kyron Ware-Hudson all leaving, Grunkemeyer is proving that he may very well be the solution under center.
Since relieving the injured Drew Allar midseason, Grunkemeyer has been rather inconsistent, but that is to be expected from a redshirt freshman.
Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer. Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images.But one thing is for sure: the former four-star recruit possesses tremendous arm talent, and while he certainly isn't a truly explosive dual threat, he owns enough athleticism to make things happen.
Penn State could peruse the transfer portal for other options at quarterback, but Grunkemeyer proved against Clemson that he is up to the task.
The Lewis Center, Oh. native saved his best performance of the year for his biggest game of the season, and that is something Campbell should definitely value.
Not only that, but redshirt freshman running back Quinton Martin Jr. racked up 101 yards on 20 carries, this after not registering a single carry all season long.
We caught exciting glimpses of Penn State's future in the Pinstripe Bowl. Is anything a guarantee? No, but with the renowned Campbell coming aboard and some intriguing young pieces up and down the roster, there is reason for optimism in Happy Valley.
It will also be interesting to see what additions Campbell can make in the transfer portal, which officially opens on Jan. 2.