The 2025 college football season was a disappointment for the Penn State Nittany Lions. However, they ended the year on a high note, winning the Pinstripe Bowl on Saturday to finish the season 7-6.
Penn State beat Clemson 22-10 at Yankee Stadium, completing interim head coach Terry Smith’s tenure with a 4-3 record. Smith took over for James Franklin, who was fired in the middle of the season when it became clear the Lions would once again fall short of their lofty expectations.
While Smith has already learned he’ll be retained on new head coach Matt Campbell’s staff, he’s clearly won over the Penn State players, who doused him with cut grass during his postgame interview with Dawn Davenport, a nod to the bowl sponsor, Bad Boy Mowers.
In that interview, Smith gave a poignant speech about the team’s resilience and what it meant for him to complete the season with a bowl win and a winning record overall.
Look at what Penn State and a bowl game win means for interim head coach Terry Smith
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— ESPN (@espn) December 27, 2025
“I can’t be more proud of these guys,” Smith said. “What a resilient group. They could have laid down and quit. They didn’t have to come show up here at the Pinstripe Bowl, but they did. And they played really, really hard.
“I love this group. They’re just a special group of guys. This is the greatest moment of my life. It’s just a great moment for me, my family,” Smith added. “I love Penn State. I love football. And the game and Penn State have done amazing things for me and my family. I’m just thankful and grateful.”
Smith played for Penn State before returning as a cornerbacks coach in 2014, working his way up to associate head coach, and then taking on the interim head coach label. The good news for him and his players is that he’ll be back next season.
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