College football bowl game scores, highlights: Big wins from Virginia, Penn State headline loaded Saturday

The Cavaliers and Nittany Lions both closed out their seasons in style during the busiest day of the 2025-26 college football bowl season

Several major programs capped off historic seasons on Saturday during a stacked bowl weekend, featuring eight bowl games. Virginia picked up a school record 11th win with a Gator Bowl victory over Missouri, and North Texas rode three touchdowns from quarterback Drew Mestermaker to a historic 12th win. 

In perhaps the most anticipated matchup of the day, No. 12 BYU outlasted No. 22 Georgia Tech to win the Pop-Tarts Bowl, 25-21. Freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier led a game-winning drive with only two minutes remaining, and Haynes King's final collegiate pass was picked off in the end zone. The game ended with coach Kalani Sitake and his team devouring two live Pop-Tarts mascots. 

In the night cap, Houston overcame an early 14-point deficit thanks to a furious 21-0 run in the middle of the Texas Bowl against LSU. The victory led to their first 10-win season as a major conference program since 1990, when record-setting David Klinger led the program. Future LSU coach Lane Kiffin was on hand to see his Tigers come just short in a 38-35 performance. 

In other performances, East Carolina moved to 14-5 under Blake Harrell after stunning Pittsburgh 23-17 in the Military Bowl. Fresno State quarterback E.J. Warner received an MVP Trophy from Snoop Dogg in the Arizona Bowl, and Penn State ended a strange 2025 campaign with a 22-10 win over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl. 

CBS Sports was there every step of the way to update you with the latest scores, highlights and storylines throughout the loaded schedule of bowl game action. Scroll down below to check it all out.

College football bowl scores, schedule

Military Bowl: East Carolina 23, Pitt 17 | Recap
Pinstripe Bowl: Penn State 22, Clemson 10 | Recap
Fenway Bowl: Army 41, UConn 16 | Recap
Pop-Tarts Bowl: BYU 25, Georgia Tech 21 | Recap
Arizona Bowl: Fresno State 18, Miami (OH) 3 | Recap
New Mexico Bowl: North Texas 49, San Diego State 47 | Recap
Gator Bowl: Virginia 13, Missouri 7 | Recap
Texas Bowl: Houston 38, LSU 35 | Recap
Check out the full college football bowl game scoreboard on Saturday

Check these out ...

• 2025-26 bowl game scores: Results from every postseason game
• Bowl game picks: Expert predictions for CFP, remaining bowl games
  

[Dec 28, 2025 at 1:02 am ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

FINAL: Houston 38, LSU 35

No. 21 Houston got a late touchdown from running back Dean Connors to pull away from LSU and pull off a 38-35 victory. The victory gives the Cougars their first 10-win season as a power conference squad since David Klinger led Houston to the mark in 1990 as members of the Southwest Conference. 

The Cougars trailed 14-0 early in the first quarter after allowing a touchdown on the opening kickoff and a quick drive from the Tigers. However, quarterback Conner Weigman responded with four touchdown passes to give Houston control of the game. Running back Dean Connors had 126 yards and a game-sealing touchdown run. 

In a losing effort, LSU tight end Trey'Dez Green was sensational. The sophomore caught four passes for 80 yards and two touchdowns, including a 42-yard bomb in the second half. However, the struggling Tigers running game mustered only 3.8 yards per carry and the defense couldn't get Houston off the field. 

[Dec 27, 2025 at 11:08 pm ET · Shehan Jeyarajah]

HALF: Houston 21, LSU 14

No. 21 Houston put a nightmarish start to the Texas Bowl behind them to take a 21-14 lead over LSU at the half after touchdown catch by tight end Tanner Koziol with four seconds remaining. The Cougars rattled off 21 straight points to take their first lead late in the second half. 

LSU wide receiver Barion Brown took the opening kickoff for a touchdown and added a quick touchdown drive fewer than three minutes into the game to take a quick 14-0 lead. LSU tight end Trey'Dez Green caught a 23-yard pass from Michael Van Buren for the score, one of only seven pass attempts by Van Buren in the half. 

From there, Houston took over. The Cougars put together three touchdown drives, all of at least nine plays. Quarterback Conner Weigman threw for 132 yards, rushed for 42 yards and added three touchdowns through the air in a monstrous effort. The Cougars get the ball to start the second half. 

[Dec 27, 2025 at 10:42 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

It wasn't the prettiest football, but No. 19 Virginia polishes off their first 11-win season in program history with a 13-7 win in the Gator Bowl over Mizzou. 

The first half saw both teams squander opportunities in plus territory, as they each had a missed field goal and failed fourth down attempt in the first 30 minutes. The Cavaliers trailed 7-3 at the break, but came out of the half and marched down the field on a 19-play touchdown drive that ate up 10 minutes off the clock and put them in front. 

They picked off Matt Zollers on Mizzou's next drive to set up a field goal to go up 13-7 and finished the third quarter with more than 13 minutes in time of possession. The fourth quarter was a shutout for both sides, and rather fitting of this game, the best play of the final quarter was a perfectly executed pooch punt by Chandler Morris and the Virginia offense to pin Mizzou back on their own 2-yard line. 

Mizzou was finally able to move the ball on their final drive, needing a touchdown to win, but Virginia broke up a fourth-and-10 pass in the end zone with one second left to finish off the win. 

[Dec 27, 2025 at 9:20 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

Bowl week is a special time for teams to do a bit of bonding. Louisiana Tech won't be making a long trip for their bowl game this year, as they'll make the trek from Ruston to Shreveport to play in the Independence Bowl against Coastal Carolina on December 30. 

Still, they're getting the bowl game experience and, for some reason, that meant that coach Sonny Cumbie got tasered in a demonstration at the Bulldogs' practice facility this week. 

He wisely did so while already lying on the ground, but that still looks painful. His players seemed to love it and sang the fight song as he got tasered. If the Bulldogs pull off a win on Tuesday, it'll all be worth it. 

[Dec 27, 2025 at 9:02 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

Mizzou came flying out of the gates with a touchdown on their opening drive, gashing the Virginia defense on the ground en route to the end zone, but since then, points have been tough to come by in Jacksonville. 

The Tigers will take a 7-3 lead into the half after both teams traded missed field goals late in the second quarter. The defenses have both played well, but the offenses haven't helped themselves with some miscues and missteps along the way. 

Virginia has three drives into Mizzou territory and only three points to show for it, failing on a fourth down attempt on their opening drive and then missing a field in the second quarter. Mizzou has matched them with a failed fourth down attempt and missed field goal, but did find the painted area on a Jamal Roberts touchdown run early to pay off a 43-yard run from Ahmad Hardy that remains the biggest play of the game so far. 

We'll see if either offense can get into a rhythm in the second half and take control of this game, or if we're destined for another sloppy half of football. 

[Dec 27, 2025 at 7:57 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

The Bulldogs (who are over the age of 21) will be the ones sipping on gin and juice tonight, as Fresno State gets a 18-3 win in Tucson over Miami (OH) in a defensive slugfest in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl.

There was one touchdown scored all game, a touchdown pass from E.J. Warner to Richie Anderson III that put Fresno State up by two scores in the fourth quarter and effectively iced the game. Warner threw for 214 yards in the game, with Josiah Freeman accounting for 143 of those receiving yards in the Bulldogs' win. The scoring star of the game was Dylan Lynch, the Fresno State kicker who went 4-for-5 with a long of 37 yards. 

The Fresno State defense put the clamps on Miami, as the Redhawks' offense was unable to do much of anything after opening the game with a solid field goal drive. With the win, Fresno State finishes the year with a 9-4 record, while Miami ends up at 7-7. 

[Dec 27, 2025 at 7:04 pm ET · Will Backus]

Final: No. 12 BYU 25, No. 22 Georgia Tech 21 

And BYU defensive back Evan Johnson might just take the first bite. A few plays after he got beat on a deep route that allowed Georgia Tech to convert on fourth-and-15 and, thus, keep its hopes for a late win alive, Johnson intercepted a Haynes King pass in the end zone to officially seal the deal for BYU. With that, the Cougars kneeled the ball out and coach Kalani Sitake received a bath of mini Pop-Tarts. 

While Johnson was the late hero, BYU owes a lot of its success to fireworks on the defense. Freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who's coming off an ankle injury suffered in the Big 12 Championship Game, led both teams with 325 yards through the air and also tossed a touchdown. Tight end Carsen Ryan was his favorite target with eight catches for 120 yards. 

Freshman running back Jovesa Damuni also had a moment to remember as his rushing touchdown with two minutes left -- the first of his career -- served as the decisive score for his team. 

With its Pop-Tarts Bowl triumph now official, BYU secured its first 12-win season since 2001. This is also the first time that the Cougars have won back-to-back bowl games since 2011-12. 

[Dec 27, 2025 at 6:45 pm ET · Will Backus]

Late 4Q: No. 12 BYU 25, No. 22 Georgia Tech 21 

Strap in folks, the end of the Pop-Tarts Bowl is sure to be a wild one. After trailing by 21-10 at halftime, BYU has scored 15 unanswered points to take its first lead since early in the second quarter. BYU's defense has forced two punts and a fumble in three out of the last four drives. Georgia Tech's other possessions ended with a missed field goal. 

In that same span, the Cougars have scored two touchdowns with a successful two-point conversion. BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier is up to 325 yards and one touchdown through the air.

[Dec 27, 2025 at 5:43 pm ET · Will Backus]

Early 3Q: No. 22 Georgia Tech 21, No. 12 BYU 10 

It's not everyday you see a football player force a fumble with his feet, but that's the magic of the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Georgia Tech looked like it was about to blow this game wide open, as it got the ball to start the second half and moved all the way to BYU's 11-yard line. But on third-and-goal, quarterback Haynes King dumped a pass off to Jordan Allen, who subsequently lost possession after BYU's Nusi Taumoepeau kicked the ball out of his hands. Yes, kicked. It was more incidental contact, as Taumoepeau forced the foot fumble while falling to the ground, but it counted as a turnover nonetheless. 

[Dec 27, 2025 at 5:40 pm ET · Robby Kalland]

The best bowl games are ones that don't take themselves too seriously, but also have full investment from the sponsor to try and make things fun. 

That can certainly be said about the Arizona Bowl between Miami (OH) and Fresno State, which is sponsored this year by Snoop Dogg. Snoop didn't just put his name on the game, but has been extremely active in Tucson before and during the game. 

That included a second quarter kickoff that Miami let go for a touchback in the back of the end zone, and Snoop saw as an opportunity to get in on the action, diving to the turf and losing a shoe to field the kickoff to the delight of everyone. 

This is what bowl season is all about, and credit to Snoop Dogg, who never does anything half way. If he puts his name on something he is going to go all out, and he certainly brought some life to the Arizona Bowl and even flashed off the hands on this kickoff. 

[Dec 27, 2025 at 5:32 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

FINAL: Army 41, UConn 16

UConn took a 7-0 lead on its second possession, and that was the last time the Huskies looked even remotely threatening in the Fenway Bowl. After that, Army went on a 41-9 run to win with ease.

Early on, the Black Knights landed one haymaker after another. Quarterback Cale Hellums connected with Noah Short for a 40-yard passing touchdown. Godspower Nwawuihe scored on runs of 43 and 70 yards. Once Army had a comfortable lead in the second half, it wore down UConn with body blow after body blow.

The Black Knights ended the day with 368 rushing yards and 108 passing yards (Short was on the receiving end of every one). Hellums totaled three touchdowns, Nwawuihe racked up 171 rushing yards and Short became the first player in program history to record 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in a season.

There was a lot to celebrate for the Black Knights, and they accidentally flattened coach Jeff Monken while trying to execute the Gatorade bath on a cold day in Boston.

Army's defense limited UConn to 84 passing yards as starter Joe Fagnano sat out and held the Huskies to just one third-down conversion on nine attempts. Following a tough loss to Navy, the Black Knights were able to close their 2025 season on a high note. As for the Huskies, they'll turn the page and begin the Jason Candle era next year.

[Dec 27, 2025 at 5:11 pm ET · Will Backus]

Half: No. 22 Georgia Tech 21, No. 12 BYU 10 

BYU took an early advantage in the Pop-Tarts Bowl -- also known as the Peoples' National Championship -- but it's Georgia Tech that enters halftime with all of the momentum after the Cougars fell apart late in the second quarter. BYU gave Georgia Tech a free first down late in its own territory when it committed pass interference on third-and-8. Quarterback Haynes King quickly turned that into a five-yard touchdown connection with wide receiver Eric Rivers. 

BYU muffed the ensuing kickoff and Georgia Tech hopped on the loose ball to set up business at BYU's six-yard line. King faked a handoff on the next play and flipped the ball to tight end J.T. Byrne, who was wide open in the end zone. With that, Georgia Tech took a two-possession advantage in less than 30 seconds of game time. 

King had an efficient first half by completing 11 of his 19 pass attempts for 123 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 12 yards on three carries. 

While Georgia Tech got hot in the second quarter, BYU had just one drive that started and ended in that frame and it resulted in a punt. The Cougars were outscored 14-3 in the final 15 minutes before halftime. 

[Dec 27, 2025 at 4:55 pm ET · Will Backus]

Late 2Q: No. 22 Georgia Tech 21, No. 12 BYU 10 

BYU has held the ball for a majority of the first half. The Cougars maintained a lead deep into the second quarter. But things are starting to unravel for Kilani Sitake's squad. Georgia Tech has now scored three straight touchdowns, two of which came on drives that covered at least 10 plays and 75 yards. Georgia Tech earned a free third-down conversion deep into BYU territory thanks to a pass interference call on the Cougars. The Yellow Jackets quickly turned that into a five-yard touchdown connection between wide receiver Eric Rivers and quarterback Haynes King to take a 14-10 advantage. 

Then, BYU returner Cody Hagen muffed the ensuing kickoff. Georgia Tech jumped on the loose ball at BYU's six-yard line. It took one play for King to find tight end J.T. Byrne for a quick touchdown pass. Just like, Georgia Tech has flipped momentum late in the first half. 

[Dec 27, 2025 at 4:37 pm ET · Will Backus]

Early 2Q: No. 12 BYU 10, No. 22 Georgia Tech 7 

BYU hasn't had much trouble moving the ball in its Pop-Tarts Bowl showdown against Georgia Tech. Freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier is having a big game. He's led two first-half scoring drives while completing 12 of his 15 pass attempts for 159 yards and one touchdown. Senior tight end Carsen Ryan has been his favorite target thus far with five catches for 81 yards, though it was wide receiver Chase Roberts that hauled in Bachmeier's touchdown pass. 

Georgia Tech, meanwhile, is finding its footing after a slow start. The Yellow Jackets converted on a successful fourth-and-goal to score their first touchdown of the game and they're driving on their second possession. 

[Dec 27, 2025 at 4:22 pm ET · Sam Cooper]

Clemson entered the season with massive expectations but finished just 7-6 after an ugly loss to Penn State in Saturday's Pinstripe Bowl. 

Tigers coach Dabo Swinney has several crucial decisions to make with his once elite program now at a crossroads, Brad Crawford writes. 

What's next for Clemson after Dabo Swinney's worst season ends with ugly Pinstripe Bowl loss to Penn State?

Brad Crawford

[Dec 27, 2025 at 4:15 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

3Q: Army 20, UConn 10

Army freshman Godspower Nwawuihe has carried the ball three times, and two of those touches have gone for explosive touchdowns. His latest touchdown was a thing of power running beauty as he ran over the entire UConn defense to extend the Black Knights' lead.

On the second play of the second half, Nwawuihe got the ball at his own 30-yard line and looked to be bottled up after a short gain. Nwawuihe kept his feet churning and broke, conservatively, six or seven tackles as he sprinted down the sideline for a 70-yard touchdown.

That explosive rushing touchdown was Nwawuihe's second of the game as he broke loose for a 43-yard score in the first half. It seems like every time he touches the ball, a big play is on the way.

[Dec 27, 2025 at 3:39 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

Halftime: Army 14, UConn 10

The Black Knights haven't had much interest in singles or doubles today. They've built their four-point halftime lead on the strength of a couple explosive plays. In the first quarter, Army found the end zone on a rare pass play when quarterback Cale Hellums connected with Noah Short for a 40-yard score.

In the second quarter, the Black Knights took the lead when Godspower Nwawuihe gashed a tired UConn defense for a 43-yard rushing touchdown. Outside of those two plays, the Black Knights couldn't find too much traction on offense, but the quick strikes have them in position to pick up a postseason win.

The Army defense has been holding up its end of the bargain in Boston -- at least when it comes to defending the pass. The Huskies threw for minus-4 yards in the first half, but they were able to find some success on the ground with 141 yards. Expect UConn to keep leaning on the run as it tries to regain the lead.

[Dec 27, 2025 at 3:31 pm ET · David Cobb]

FINAL: Penn State 22, Clemson 10

Penn State added a victorious ending to a chapter of program history on Saturday by edging Clemson 22-10 in the Pinstripe Bowl. It was the Nittany Lions' fourth straight win under interim coach Terry Smith, who bridged the gap between James Franklin's firing and the beginning of the Matt Campbell era.

The bowl victory embodied the transitional state of the Penn State program, as the Nittany Lions played without their tandem of star running backs Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton. In their absence, a trio of freshmen stepped up to handle running back duties, led by by Quinton Martin. Though he didn't register a carry all season, Martin stepped up and finished with 101 rushing yards on 20 attempts.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer also turned in a strong performance, finishing 23 of 34 passing for 262 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Neither team had scored a touchdown until early in the fourth quarter when Grunkemeyer hit Trebor Pena for a 73-yard touchdown. The big play put Penn State ahead 15-3.

Clemson rallied to draw within 15-10 as Cade Klubnik led a 65-yard touchdown drive in the final start of his college career. But Grunkemeyer struck again with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Rappleyea that cemented the outcome in Penn State's favor.

[Dec 27, 2025 at 3:10 pm ET · David Cobb]

4Q: Penn State 15, Clemson 10

After 3+ quarters with no touchdowns, Penn State and Clemson have come to life in the fourth quarter. The Nittany Lions pulled ahead 15-3 on a 73-yard Trebor Pena touchdown reception that featured some shoddy tackling. But Clemson struck back with its best drive of the day to get within 15-10. Amid the haze of opt outs and injury-related absences engulfing both teams, one notable performer has been Penn State freshman running back Quinton Martin, who is nearing 100 yards rushing.

[Dec 27, 2025 at 2:57 pm ET · Will Backus]

The Pop-Tarts Bowl embodies everything college football faithful adore about not just the postseason but the sport as a whole. It's chaotic. It has introduced weird new traditions that have quickly become a postseason staple. It has immense character. It also draws quality teams.

This year's matchup is particularly enticing, as the Pop-Tarts Bowl will pit Big 12 runner-up No. 12 BYU Cougars against No. 22 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. It won't be the first meeting between the programs. They completed a home-and-home series in 2002-03 and again in 2012-13.

BYU owns a 3-1 all-time edge thanks to a three-game winning streak against the Yellow Jackets. The Cougars are also coming off another successful season under coach Kalani Sitake. They made a program-first appearance in the Big 12 Championship Game in just their third season in the conference and enter the Pop-Tarts Bowl with an 11-2 record. BYU is 22-4 over the past two seasons.

Georgia Tech, meanwhile, started 8-0 for the first time since 1966 before stumbling late in the season. The Yellow Jackets were eliminated from ACC contention after losing two of their final three conference games and closed the regular season with another narrow loss to in-state rival Georgia Bulldogs.

Still, Georgia Tech's nine wins are its most since 2016. The Yellow Jackets have gone 11 years without reaching double-digit victories.

BYU vs. Georgia Tech prediction, picks, odds, spread: Pop-Tarts bowl features intriguing matchup

Will Backus

[Dec 27, 2025 at 2:57 pm ET · Austin Nivison]

1Q: Army 7, UConn 7

The Black Knights came out swinging for the fences at Fenway Park. On its second offensive possession, Army connected on a rare deep ball to even the score in the Fenway Bowl.

Quarterback Cale Hellums faked the handoff and -- with pressure bearing down on him -- launched a pass downfield. The ball fell right into the arms of receiver Noah Short, who got behind the UConn defense for six points. Coming into the day, Hellums was averaging just 48.8 passing yards per game. He's now on pace to fly by that number ... assuming the Black Knights drop back to throw again in this one.

[Dec 27, 2025 at 2:26 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

FINAL: East Carolina 23, Pitt 17

There were plenty of fireworks during the second half of East Carolina's Military Bowl win over Pittsburgh, a ninth victory for ECU despite playing without its starting quarterback, running back, tight end, No. 2 wide receiver and both coordinators. The Pirates forced five turnovers and hit on a pair of explosive passing plays for touchdowns from freshman quarterback Chaston Ditta to senior playmaker Anthony Smith, spanning 47 and 72 yards.

This bowl game from Annapolis, Maryland, went off the rails midway through the third quarter after ECU's Marlon Gunn Jr. scored a tackle-breaking 68-yard touchdown down his sideline. However, the play was negated due to an "inadvertent whistle," according to officials. Two plays later, Pitt linebacker Rasheem Biles returned a fumble for a 23-yard defensive score, resulting in ECU second-year coach Blake Harrell demanding an explanation after a potential 17-7 lead turned into a 14-10 deficit over a three-play stretch.

ECU answered on its next possession with a 72-yard touchdown reception from Smith, his second of the quarter, after he snared a slant over the middle and out-raced three defenders to the end zone. 

The Pirates never trailed again, pushing their lead to nine points on a pair of field goals from Nick Mazzie in the final quarter before holding on to win in the final minute. Smith finished with four catches for 156 yards to help ECU prevail despite an offense totaling just 247 yards and 11 first downs on a 2-for-14 effort on third down. 

The Pirates have won back-to-back bowl games under Harrell and three straight overall. ECU's 9-4 finish this season is its best since going 10-3 in 2013 and pushes Harrell to 14-5 overall at the program.

[Dec 27, 2025 at 1:54 pm ET · Chris Dukes]

HALF: Penn State 6, Clemson 3

Penn State kicker Ryan Barker booted a 48-yard field goal in the closing seconds of the first half to give the Nittany Lions a narrow 6-3 lead in the Pinstripe Bowl. 

Hostile New York weather and massive roster attrition for both teams has created an offensive slog for the two marquee name programs. Neither has been able to move the ball with much efficiency and there are less than 300 total yards on the board between the two units. 

Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer is 12 for 21 for 70 yards and Clemson's Cade Klubnik is 11 for 22 for 115. T.J. Moore has been a bright spot for the Tigers with four catches for 74 yarders, including a 44-yard reception that stands as the longest play of the game for either team. 

[Dec 27, 2025 at 1:13 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

3Q: ECU 10, Pittsburgh 7

On the strength of their third takeaway of the afternoon, the Pirates lead the Panthers following freshman quarterback Chaston Ditta's 47-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Smith. Ditta, playing in place of Kaitin Houser following his transfer portal entry, connected on a heave to Smith one play after Kendrick DuJour's second sack of the Military Bowl resulted in a fumble recovery for ECU near midfield. 

ECU head coach Blake Harrell is calling the defense for the Pirates on Saturday following Josh Aldridge's departure to USF. Harrell previously served as ECU's DC from 2020-24 prior to his promotion to coach last season. The two teams combined for 267 total yards in the first half, the lowest ever in the Military Bowl.

[Dec 27, 2025 at 12:33 pm ET · Brad Crawford]

HALF: Pitt 7, East Carolina 3

The Panthers lead the Pirates at intermission of the Military Bowl following a 77-yard, 10-play drive in just over 90 seconds to end the second quarter capped by Mason Heintschel's 22-yard fade to Poppi Williams Jr. The Panthers suffered two turnovers in the first half and lost time of possession against the Pirates, but the two-minute drill was a well-executed display from the offense with a couple nice tosses from Heintschel. ECU has camp up empty on several short fields with scoring opportunities outside of a field goal in the second quarter.

"We haven't moved the ball effectively like we need to, looks like we've been off for 28 days," "Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said. "We've just got to keep doing what we're doing on defense."

[Dec 27, 2025 at 11:26 am ET · Cody Nagel]

A Penn State vs. Clemson postseason matchup felt almost inevitable entering the 2025 season -- just not like this. It was easy to imagine the Nittany Lions and Tigers colliding in a College Football Playoff semifinal at either the Peach Bowl or Fiesta Bowl as two national championship contenders. Instead, after a pair of startlingly disappointing campaigns, these former top-four teams will close out their 2025 seasons in a far more modest setting: the Pinstripe Bowl.

Penn State vs. Clemson prediction, picks, odds, spread: Pinstripe Bowl caps disappointing seasons for both

Cody Nagel