Before the 2025 season began, it seemed almost inevitable that Penn State would make the College Football Playoff.
Penn State entered the year ranked No. 2 nationally, and expectations couldn’t have been higher.
Fast forward to the end of the regular season, and the circumstances are far different.
Instead of competing for a playoff berth, Penn State is fighting simply for a bowl game.
PSU and Rutgers will meet Saturday at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey, at 3:30 p.m.
Both teams enter the matchup at 5–6, each needing a win to secure bowl eligibility and extend their season.
Interim coach Terry Smith believes his team will be fully locked in.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.What Did Terry Smith Say?
“This is like a playoff game. We’re playing to get that extra game. Our guys are excited to finish the year out. So far, preparation has gone great. The energy is still in the building.
“Yesterday was our reset day. Saturday night we enjoyed it, Sunday we come in, rehash it, correct it, and Sunday night we reset so the past is the past. Now we move forward. Rutgers is all that matters. It means everything to us in the building, and we’re trying to go out and get this victory.
“In regards to our guys, I would anticipate that our guys are going to play. I’m sure there may be a one-off or a two-off here or there with some type of circumstance. We’ll just work through that. I have full anticipation our guys are going to play.”
Penn State’s History Against Rutgers — and in Bowl-Elimination Scenarios
Penn State has dominated the series historically, holding a 32–2 record against Rutgers and winning 17 straight meetings since the Scarlet Knights’ last victory in 1988.
Situations like this, needing a win in the final week to reach a bowl, have been rare for Penn State. Since 1984, Penn State has faced bowl-elimination stakes in the regular-season finale only twice, and it lost both: to No. 1 Notre Dame in 1988 and to Virginia in 2001.
