Clemson began its season with legitimate hopes of competing for a national title.
The Tigers ended the year fighting it out against Penn State in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl.
Penn State ultimately came away 22-10 in what will likely be one of the more uneventful games this bowl season. In what was mostly a defensive battle, Nittany Lions quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer threw for 262 yards on 23-of-34 passing, and Quinton Martin Jr. posted 135 rushing yards.
Veteran quarterback Cade Klubnik, playing in his final collegiate game, had a forgetful last game for the Tigers. He had 193 passing yards on 22-of-39 passing to put a bow on his Clemson career.
The Tigers tallied just 43 rushing yards in the loss.
Fans trolled Clemson and head coach Dabo Swinney for ending a down year on bad terms.
Just last season, both Clemson was playing in the College Football Playoff and had realistic hopes of finishing the year on top. In 2025, the Tigers had their worst season since 2010, and it’s hard to imagine things will get much better soon.
Swinney has a strong resume and likely isn’t on the hot seat yet, but he can’t afford another down year in 2026.