EAST LANSING, MI — Penn State snapped its six-game losing streak with a 28-10 win over Michigan State behind the efforts of senior running back Kaytron Allen, who posted his third 100-yard rushing game of 2025 with a season and career high 181 yards: his 11th 100-yard game of his career, tying Zach Zwinak and D.J. Dozier.
Allen’s second touchdown matched Curtis Enis mark of 36 career rushing touchdowns tied for fourth in school history.
Defensively, EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton, who a week ago lamented the Nittany Lions’ inability to get home, delivered with two sacks and a punt block.
Penn State started slowly on its opening possession, and the sluggishness carried over to the defense. Michigan State running back Elijah Tau-Toliver went 57 yards untouched on the Spartans’ first play of the game to take a 7–0 lead.
Later in the first quarter, Penn State responded with a 12-play, 75-yard drive punctuated by Allen’s 11th touchdown of the season, an eight-yard run that set a new personal best and tied the game at 7–7.
After both defenses forced turnovers on downs, the Spartans regained momentum behind freshman quarterback Alessio Milivojevic, who completed 44 passing yards on the drive, including a 32-yard strike to Tau-Toliver that set up Martin Connington’s 24-yard field goal for a 10–7 lead.
Penn State answered immediately. Quarterback Ethan Grunkmeyer connected with wide receiver DeVonte Ross for a 75-yard touchdown, putting the Nittany Lions ahead 14–10.
Penn State created another opportunity on special teams when Dennis-Sutton blocked his third punt of the season, a new Penn State single-season record, setting the offense up with a short field.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.The Nittany Lions drove into the Spartans’ red zone but elected to go for it on fourth down rather than take a Ryan Barker field goal attempt. Michigan State flushed Grunkmeyer from the pocket and forced a negative play.
After a scoreless third quarter, Penn State asserted itself on the ground with a clock-draining 13-play, 76-yard fourth-quarter drive that consumed more than nine minutes and ended with Ross’ second touchdown of the day, extending the lead to 21–10.
Michigan State hd one more gasp that was fueled by conescutive roughing the passer penalties, but the Nittany Lions relentless pursuit of Milivojevic did not let up when nickelback Zion Tracy forced a fumble that cornerback Daryus Dixson recovered with 3:15 remaining.
On the ensuing possession, Allen powered the ground attack going 62 yards on two carries to put the Nittany Lions up 28-10.
The win marks the first of Terry Smith’s career as interim head coach and keeps Penn State’s bowl hopes alive.
Penn State’s next opponent is Nebraska at Beaver Stadium for Senior Day.
