Game Information
Date: Friday, November 22, 2025 Time: 7:00 PM ET Location: Beaver Stadium, University Park, PA TV: NBC Special: Senior Day Ceremonies
Penn State (4-6, 1-6 Big Ten)
Current Form
Recent Results:
- ✅ W vs Michigan State 28-10 (Nov 15)
- ❌ L vs Indiana 24-27 (Nov 8)
- ❌ L at Ohio State 14-38 (Nov 1)
- ❌ L at Iowa 24-25 (Oct 18)
- ❌ L vs Northwestern 21-22 (Oct 11)
Key Storylines
Momentum Shift: Penn State enters riding high after finally breaking through with a convincing road victory over Michigan State, ending a six-game losing streak.
Terry Smith’s Second Win? Interim head coach Terry Smith earned his first career victory last week and will look to build on that success.
Kaytron Allen Rolling: The workhorse running back has 917 yards and 11 touchdowns through 10 games and has been Penn State’s most consistent offensive weapon. He’s just 138 yards shy of Penn State’s all-time rushing record.
Grunkemeyer’s Growth: Redshirt freshman QB Ethan Grunkemeyer is 1-3 as a starter and earned his first career victory in the Michigan State game.
Nebraska (7-3, 4-3 Big Ten)
Nebraska is a solid team this season and will pose a significant challenge. Head coach Matt Rhule is familiar with Penn State, having coached at various programs. Nebraska’s offense has been competitive in Big Ten play.
Projected Nebraska Strengths:
- Strong running game
- Experienced quarterback play
- Solid special teams
- Road-tested in Big Ten play
Key Matchups
Penn State Run Game vs Nebraska Run Defense
Penn State’s powerful run game featuring Allen and Singleton will look to continue their success against Nebraska’s defense. The Allen-Singleton tandem has combined for 1,280 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns this season.
Grunkemeyer vs Nebraska Secondary
Can Ethan Grunkemeyer build on his Michigan State success? The redshirt freshman completed 8 of 13 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown in his first career victory.
Penn State Defense vs Nebraska Offense
The Nittany Lions’ defense played well against Michigan State, holding them to 10 points and 229 total yards. Continuing that defensive success will be crucial.
Senior Day Significance
This will mark the final home game for Penn State’s 2025 senior class, a group that has experienced both great highs and challenging lows during their time in Happy Valley. The emotional significance of Senior Day, combined with renewed confidence from the Michigan State victory, could provide Penn State with a significant home-field advantage.
Key Seniors to Honor:
- Dani Dennis-Sutton (DE)
- Devonte Ross (WR)
- [Additional senior players to be announced]
Bowl Eligibility Math
Penn State needs to win both remaining games (Nebraska, at Rutgers) to reach the 6-6 threshold for bowl eligibility. While it’s been a disappointing season by Penn State standards, reaching a bowl game would provide valuable extra practice time and a chance to end the season on a positive note.
Game Keys for Penn State
1. Establish the Run
Getting Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton going early will be crucial. Allen’s 181-yard performance against Michigan State showed what’s possible when the run game is clicking.
2. Protect Grunkemeyer
The offensive line must give the redshirt freshman time to operate. Grunkemeyer has shown promise but needs protection to continue his development.
3. Win the Turnover Battle
Penn State had no turnovers against Michigan State, a key factor in the victory. Maintaining that discipline will be essential.
4. Senior Day Energy
Harnessing the emotion of Senior Day while maintaining focus on execution could give Penn State the edge they need.
Prediction
This game presents an intriguing matchup between a Penn State team finally tasting victory and a solid Nebraska program. The Senior Day atmosphere and momentum from the Michigan State win could be the difference, but Nebraska’s overall talent level makes this a challenging matchup.
Penn State’s Path to Victory:
- Control the clock with the run game
- Limit mistakes and turnovers
- Strong defensive performance
- Senior Day emotional boost
The outcome could go either way, but Penn State enters with renewed confidence after finally breaking through in the win column.