Clemson Tigers End Season with Disappointment

The Clemson Tigers wrapped up the 2025 season on a rather sour note. They faced significant criticism across social media for a botched fake punt attempt on Saturday against the Penn State Nittany Lions during the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium.

The play in question came early on. Punter Jack Smith received the snap and attempted to make a deep throw, aiming for Ronan Hanafin. Unfortunately, Hanafin seemed unaware of what was happening and missed the pass entirely.

This blunder prompted a wave of mockery from college football fans. Subsequent to that, it was a challenging game for Clemson. By halftime, Penn State was ahead 6-3, and the Tigers managed just one touchdown in the second half.

In the final quarter, Penn State found their stride, scoring 16 points to secure a 22-10 victory. Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer shone with a 73-yard pass to Trevor Pena, followed shortly by an 11-yard touchdown toss to tight end Andrew Rapley.

Interestingly, Grunkemeyer, who started seven games this season due to Drew Allard’s injury, completed 23 of 34 passes, totaling 262 yards. Penn State ended the season strong, finishing with a 7-6 record after winning their last four games.

Now, questions loom regarding the future of Dabo Swinney, Clemson’s head coach, especially after such a disappointing end to the season. Despite winning their last four regular-season games which earned them a bowl spot, they started the year ranked fourth in the nation. It’s a tough pill to swallow, to say the least.