Nittany Lion Shield Penn State Alumni Association Mark

Notes from the Cuff

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Roar Tour Unites More than 1,000 Penn Staters
With Penn State football winning its final three games in the regular season, alumni and fans flocked to New York City for the program’s second appearance in the Pinstripe Bowl. As usual, the Alumni Association played a key role in providing opportunities for Penn Staters to unite with one another in the day and hours leading up to kickoff. 

T-Squared Social provided a fantastic setting for our Roar Tour Welcome Party, with Penn Staters arriving early and forming a line down the block. The event featured drinks and food specials, games and activities, DJ Rictor spinning tunes, and lots more. Of course, all eyes turned to the Penn State Cheerleaders, Penn State Lionettes, and Nittany Lion when they began performing. 

The following morning, another 400-plus Penn Staters attended our Roar Tour Pregame Tailgate, held across the street from Yankee Stadium. The Pep Band joined the Spirit Squad (Lionettes, Cheerleaders, Nittany Lion) in a rousing performance that energized the alumni and fans who packed the reserved space to capacity. Similar to the welcome party, Penn Staters picked up their game day shaker for the contest and mingled with the crowd, which included the Big Uglies. We’ve added a collection of photos below of the two events (first four photos from the welcome party, next four from the tailgate), and you can see the full gallery online. 

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Alumni Chapters Host 70-Plus Watch Parties, Represent Penn State at the Game
More than 70 of our alumni chapters hosted watch parties, in addition to many alumni traveling to New York City for the game. Here’s a roundup, with links to photos and more info. Pennsylvania-based chapters are listed first, then followed by chapter name, in alphabetical order. 

  • The Bucks County Chapter organized a bus trip and was able to make the game despite the weather. You can see more photos of the trip and the chapter watch party in the post comments. 
  • About 50 alumni and fans of our Lehigh Valley Chapter cheered on the team from Buffalo Wild Wings.
  • Penn Staters from our Aiken-August Chapter, including Rick Thomas, traveled to the game.
  • The Greater Fort Lauderdale Chapter held a watch party at Marina 84 Sports Bar & Grill
  • Can we give some love to our Hawaii Chapter for rising early (7 a.m. local kickoff time) and showing their Penn State spirit!
  • Kathryne Murphy from our New Orleans Chapter was correct in saying there were more Penn State fans at the game.
  • Our Phoenix Chapter watch party included visitors who joined the celebration.
  • Our Southern New Jersey Chapter hosted a lively gathering. Shoutout to Chapter President Theresa Colligon ’93 (Penn State jersey No. 13), who’s featured in the photos. She joined The Football Letter Podcast this season, and you can listen to or watch the episode. 

Game Day Videos

Game Notes

TEAM

  • Penn State improved to 1-1 all-time against Clemson.
  • The Nittany Lions are now 34-21-2 all-time in Bowl/CFP games (.614 winning percentage, seventh all-time among
  • schools with 20-plus appearances).
  • Penn State’s 34 bowl wins rank fourth all-time among FBS teams (trailing Alabama, Georgia, USC).
  • Terry Smith became Penn State’s first interim head coach to earn a bowl win.
  • OL Eagan Boyer, DE Yvan Kemajou, OL Dominic Rulli and RB Corey Smith made their first collegiate starts. They are four of 17 Nittany Lions who have made their first collegiate start this season.
  • S Jashaun Green and RB Tikey Hayes made their collegiate debuts. They are two of 28 Nittany Lions to make their collegiate debut and two of 35 Nittany Lions to make their Penn State debut this season.
  • Hayes is Penn State’s 17th true freshman to play this season.

STREAKS

  • Penn State has not allowed a special teams touchdown in 90 straight games, dating back to the start of the 2019 season.

BOWL NOTES

  • Grunkemeyer threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to WR Trebor Peña in the fourth quarter. It was the third-longest pass play in Penn State bowl history and the second-longest touchdown pass.
  • WR Devonte Ross tallied eight receptions, tied for second-most in a Penn State bowl game.

DEFENSE

  • Penn State allowed just 43 rushing yards, breaking the Pinstripe Bowl record. The 43 rushing yards allowed are the fourth-fewest given up by Penn State in a bowl game.
  • Penn State allowed 236 total yards, its fifth-fewest given up in a bowl game.
  • The Nittany Lions tied a Pinstripe Bowl record with four sacks.
  • DE Dani Dennis-Sutton tied a Pinstripe Bowl record with two sacks. 

SPECIAL TEAMS

  • K Ryan Barker hit field goals of 48 and 43 yards. His 48-yard field goal is the third-longest in Penn State bowl history, while his 43-yard field goal is tied for the eighth-longest.
  • Barker is the first Penn State kicker with two 43-plus yard field goals in a Penn State bowl game.
  • Barker’s 10 kicking points are tied for sixth-most in a Penn State bowl game.

OFFENSE

  • Penn State threw for 262 yards are its eighth-most in a bowl game.
  • QB Ethan Grunkemeyer threw for 262 yards, the eighth-most in a bowl game in school history.
  • Grunkemeyer completed 23 passes, ranking third in Penn State bowl history, while his 34 pass attempts for tied for
  • His 67.6 completion percentage is the fifth-best in Penn State bowl history.
  • Grunkemeyer’s two touchdown passes are tied for the seventh-most in a Penn State bowl game.
  • Barker made three field goals, tied for third-most in a Penn State bowl game. 

Ethan Grunkemeyer

  • QB Ethan Grunkemeyer completed 23 of 34 passes for 262 yards and two touchdowns.
  • Grunkemeyer finished the 2025 season with a program-record 69.1 completion percentage (123-of-178), The previous record was held by Kerry Collins (66.7; 1994).
  • Grunkemeyer posted career highs in completions (23), pass attempts (34) and passing yards (262), while tying his career high in passing touchdowns (2). His previous highs were 21 completions, 32 attempts and 219 yards against Indiana. He also had two touchdown passes at Michigan State.
  • He threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to Trebor Peña in the fourth quarter. It was his second completion of 70-plus yards this season.
  • He added an 11-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Rappleyea in the fourth quarter.
  • Grunkemeyer earned his third career 200-yard passing game and second career game with multiple touchdown
  • passes.
  • He had two completions of 20-plus yards on the day, bringing his season total to 20.
  • Career Bowl/CFP stats: 24 of 36, 271 yards, 2 TD/0 INT

Quinton Martin Jr.

  • RB Quinton Martin Jr. rushed for a career-high 101 yards on 20 carries for his first career 100-yard rushing game.
  • His previous career highs were seven rushes for 24 yards vs. Kent State in 2024.
  • Martin had a 21-yard rush in the first quarter. It was his longest career rush, bettering a 10-yard run against Kent State in 2024.
  • Career Bowl/CFP Stats: 23 rush, 108 yards, long rush 21 yards

Corey Smith

  • RB Corey Smith had a career-high nine carries. His previous high was eight at Purdue in 2024.

Trebor Peña

  • WR Trebor Peña earned Bowl MVP honors, catching five passes for 100 yards and a touchdown.
  • Peña hauled in a 73-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. It was his 12th career receiving touchdown.
  • The 73-yard grab was Peña’s career long reception. His previous long was 62 yards against Clemson in 2021 (while playing at Syracuse).
  • It was also his 28th career 20-plus yard catch and his ninth this season.
  • Peña posted his third career 100-yard receiving game.

Devonte Ross

  • WR Devonte Ross made a team-high high catches for 84 yards.
  • Ross caught a 35-yard pass in the fourth quarter, his seventh 20-plus catch this season.

Andrew Rappleyea

  • TE Andrew Rappleyea hauled in an 11-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. It was his third career touchdown reception.

DEFENSE

Team

  • Penn State forced a turnover on downs on Clemson’s opening drive, stopping a fake punt, and got another turnover on downs in the fourth quarter. Penn State recorded 18 fourth-down stops this season.
  • The Nittany Lions earned a red-zone stop on a missed field goal by Clemson in the second quarter. It was Penn State’s eighth red-zone stop this season.
  • Penn State held Clemson to 46 rushing yards. Penn State has held 31 opponents under 100 rushing yards since 2022, most in the FBS, and 70 opponents under 100 rushing yards since 2014.
  • The Nittany Lions limited Clemson to 236 total yards. Since 2014, Penn State has held opponents under 300 total yards on 74 occasions.
  • Penn State allowed 193 passing yards, its 90th time holding an opponent under 200 passing yards since 2014.

Dani Dennis-Sutton

  • DE Dani Dennis-Sutton collected two sacks with one in the second quarter and one in the fourth. 
  • His two sacks are tied for second-most in a Penn State bowl game, and he set a program record with 22 sack yards.
  • With 23.5 career sacks, Dennis-Sutton moved into sixth all-time at Penn State, passing Matt Millen (22; 1976–79) and Abdul Carter (23; 2022–24).
  • Dennis-Sutton now owns 34.5 career tackles for loss.
  • He posted his 10th career game with multiple tackles for loss and fifth career game with multiple sacks.
  • Career Bowl/CFP Stats: 24 TT, 8 TFL, 6.5 SK, 1 FF, 1 INT

Jaylen Harvey

  • DE Jaylen Harvey secured a solo sack in the second quarter. It was his first career sack.
  • He has 2.5 career tackles for loss.

Ty Blanding

  • DT Ty Blanding registered a solo tackle for loss in the fourth quarter. He has three career tackles for loss.

Dominic DeLuca

  • LB Dominic DeLuca notched a solo tackle for loss in the second quarter. He owns 17.5 career tackles for loss.
  • Career Bowl/CFP Stats: 21 TT, 3.5 TFL, 0.5 SK, 2 INT (1 TD)

Amare Campbell

  • LB Amare Campbell reached the 100 season tackles mark. He finished the year with 103 tackles.
  • Campbell became the 13th Penn State player since 2005 to reach 100 tackles in a season and the first since Ellis Brooks in 2021.

Zion Tracy

  • CB Zion Tracy tallied three tackles in the first half and finished the game with five stops, tied for his career-best mark. He had five tackles on two previous occasions.

Daryus Dixson

  • CB Daryus Dixson had two pass breakups in the first half and finished the game with a career-high three breakups.
  • It was his second game this season with multiple pass breakups. He had two at Rutgers.

Jahmir Joseph

  • CB Jahmir Joseph tallied three tackles in the first half and finished the game with a career-high five stops. His previous high was one tackle, on two occasions and last against Villanova.

Dejuan Lane

  • S Dejuan Lane matched his career best in tackles with five (3 solo), all of which came in the first half. He also previously had five against Villanova.
  • Career Bowl/CFP Stats: 7 TT, 2 PBU

Vaboue Toure

  • Vaboue Toure recorded a career-high seven tackles. His previous career high was five tackles against UCLA in 2024.
  • Toure notched his first career tackle for loss and sack on a sack in the fourth quarter.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Ryan Barker

  • Ryan Barker hit three field goals and an extra point.
  • Barker set the Penn State season field goal percentage record (94.7 percent; 18 of 19). The previous record was held by Tyler Davis (91.7; 2016) and Jake Pinegar (91.7; 2019).
  • His 89.2 career field goal percentage (33 of 37) ranks first in program history.
  • Barker converted a 22-yard field goal on Penn State’s opening drive.
  • He nailed a 48-yard field goal to close out the first half.
  • Barker hit a 43-yard field goal to open the fourth quarter. He is 12 of 14 on field goals of 40-plus yards in his career.
  • The redshirt sophomore posted his second career game with multiple 40-plus yard field goals. He hit 45- and 42-yard field goals against Villanova.
  • Career Bowl Stats: 6/6, long of 48, 13/13 PAT

Gabriel Nwosu

  • P Gabriel Nwosu averaged 45 yards on three punts.
  • Nwosu ended the 2025 season with a program-record 46.03 punt average (1,749 yards on 38 punts). The previous record was held by Jordan Stout (46.01; 2021).
  • Nwosu landed a 50-yard punt at the Clemson 13 in the first quarter. It was his 11th punt of 50-plus yards this season and his 15th inside the 20.