The Pinstripe Bowl greets us with the Penn State Nittany Lions taking on the Clemson Tigers.
Both of these teams would have had preseason expectations far larger than this bowl game. The Tigers never really got going, and Penn State fired its coach midway through the season.
That said, it should culminate in a pretty interesting matchup with minimal separation between the two teams.
Read on as I break down the matchup in my Penn State vs. Clemson predictions and college football picks for Saturday, December 27.
Penn State vs Clemson predictions for the Pinstripe Bowl
Who will win the Pinstripe Bowl?
I'll go with the Clemson Tigers. College football trends are less valuable than they've ever been, but you don't win 14 consecutive bowl games by accident. This seems like the ideal spot to back a "rah, rah culture" guy in Dabo Swinney against a team in such flux.
I also like the matchup for the Tigers.
Penn State vs Clemson best bet: Clemson Tigers -3.5 (+100)
I'll take the more stable team in this matchup.
The Penn State Nittany Lions are walking into the bowl with an interim head coach, an unsettled staff, and a quarterback room in disarray since the Drew Allar injury.
On top of that, PSU already has RB Nicholas Singleton and DT Zane Durant opting out. Furthermore, multiple starters could be on limited snap counts.
In a one-off bowl, this usually shows up in the little things: protection calls, money downs, and redzone sharpness.
On the field, things line up nicely for the Clemson Tigers, too. That's why I projected this number at -5.5.
It's safe to say that quarterback Cade Klubnik never lived up to expectations, but the Tigers' passing offense has at least been efficient. They actually enter this game ranked in the 75th percentile nationally for pass success rate.
Penn State's pass defense is solid, but its run defense has been the soft spot (45.5% success rate allowed), which gives Clemson a way to stay on schedule through two facets: short passes and runs between the tackles.
Clemson isn't untouched. WR Antonio Williams and multiple defenders are out, but their overall defensive efficiency has been better.
With Penn State likely forced into a conservative, run-heavy script and operating with an unsettled roster, Clemson needs to win the "manage the game" battle to cover a short number.
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Penn State vs Clemson same-game parlay
I'm pairing the Under with my best bet for many of the same reasons I'm backing Clemson to win the game.
Penn State's offense is still starting a backup quarterback, and now he'll be managing an offense that has a ton of opt-outs. That's something that you think would usually kill early-down efficiency and red-zone finishing.
An ideal script when playing the Under.
Penn State vs Clemson SGP
- Clemson Tigers +3.5
- Under 48
Penn State vs Clemson odds
- Spread: Penn State +3.5 (-115) | Clemson -3.5 (-105)
- Moneyline: Penn State +130 | Clemson -155
- Over/Under: Over 48.5 (-110) | Under 48.5 (-110)
Penn State vs Clemson trend to know
Clemson has hit the 1H Moneyline in six of their last eight games (+4.50 Units / 5% ROI). Find more college football betting trends for Penn State vs Clemson.
How to watch Penn State vs Clemson
| Location | Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY |
| Date | Saturday, December 27, 2025 |
| Kickoff | 12:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ABC |
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