A redshirt freshman stepped into the biggest moments of his college career and delivered a performance that will be remembered for generations. Against Nebraska on Senior Day, Ethan Grunkemeyer didn’t just win a game—he etched his name into Penn State football history.
The Historic Night
Completing 11 of 12 passes for 181 yards, Grunkemeyer achieved a 91.7% completion percentage, becoming the first Penn State quarterback since Todd Blackledge in 1981 to complete 90% or better of his passes on 10+ attempts in a single game. That’s 44 years of Penn State quarterback history, and Grunkemeyer cleared it on November 22, 2025.
“The Grunk is playing unbelievable football,” said Penn State’s coaching staff in the aftermath. And they were right. In just his fifth career start, Grunkemeyer demonstrated the poise, accuracy, and decision-making that separates college quarterbacks from NFL-caliber talent.
Analysis: The Efficiency Breakdown
How does a redshirt freshman hit 91.7%? It wasn’t just checkdowns.
- Route Concepts: OC Andy Kotelnicki protected Grunkemeyer with quick-game concepts (slants, outs) that eliminated the pass rush, allowing an average time-to-throw of just 2.1 seconds.
- Third Down Surgery: Grunkemeyer was 4-for-4 on third downs, converting critical possessions that kept Nebraska’s offense off the field.
From Third-String to Starter
The journey to this moment began on October 11, 2025, when Drew Allar suffered a season-ending ankle injury against Northwestern. Grunkemeyer, a four-star recruit from Dublin, Ohio, had redshirted in 2024 with just 11 career passing attempts entering the 2025 season. When Allar went down, everything changed.
His starting debut came one week later against Iowa in a losing effort. The next four starts saw improvement: a loss to No. 1 Ohio State, a narrow defeat to No. 2 Indiana, a breakthrough victory over Michigan State, and then this masterclass against Nebraska.
A Team Resurrected
The context makes Grunkemeyer’s performance even more impressive. Penn State had just come off a 3-6 start with a six-game losing streak. The season was on life support. James Franklin had been fired. The fan base was demoralized.
Enter interim head coach Terry Smith and a resolve that refused to quit. With Grunkemeyer leading the way, Penn State won back-to-back games against Michigan State and Nebraska—the kind of momentum that changes locker rooms and season narratives.
“This is what we’re capable of,” Grunkemeyer’s accuracy seemed to say on every completion. When he wasn’t throwing, he was managing the game with maturity beyond his redshirt freshman status. He took what the defense gave him, made smart decisions with the football, and most importantly, he didn’t beat himself.
The Singleton-Allen Show
While Grunkemeyer was efficient, he had two of the best running backs in college football behind him. Kaytron Allen continued his record-breaking season with 160 yards and 2 touchdowns—which notably included the completion of his rise to Penn State’s all-time rushing leader.
Nicholas Singleton, Allen’s partner in the backfield, added his own pair of touchdowns to cap off his final regular season game in a Penn State uniform. The two seniors combined for 44 carries, 200+ yards, and 4 scores.
Looking Forward
Tonight’s showdown at Rutgers will determine Penn State’s postseason fate. A victory clinches bowl eligibility at 6-6. A loss means a disappointing 5-7 finish with no postseason play. The entire season—from the highs of being ranked No. 2, through the depths of 3-6, to this improbable climb back—comes down to 60 minutes in Piscataway.
But win or lose, Ethan Grunkemeyer has already changed the conversation. He’s no longer a backup quarterback thrust into circumstances beyond his control. He’s a starting quarterback who can compete at the highest level of college football. He’s a young man who can make the throws, manage the game, and lead his teammates through adversity.
The Blackledge Connection
Todd Blackledge, the last Penn State quarterback to achieve a 90%+ completion percentage in a game 44 years ago, went on to be drafted in the first round and spent a decade in the NFL. While it’s premature to make that comparison, Grunkemeyer’s performance against Nebraska showed why scouts and coaches believe he has that potential.
On November 22, 2025, in what felt like a scene from a redemption story, a young quarterback and his teammates reminded Penn State football fans why they believe in the program. One completion at a time, Grunkemeyer built something that had seemed lost just weeks earlier: hope.
Now comes the test of whether that hope can extend to a bowl game. The road to Piscataway awaits.