Grading Penn State's performance vs. Nebraska

Grading Penn State's performance vs. NebraskaStory bySam Woloson, Nittany Lions WireSun, November 23, 2025 at 8:01 AM UTC·4 min read

Penn State won its second straight game on Saturday night, throttling Nebraska in an impressive 37-10 win at Beaver Stadium. The Nittany Lions have improved to 5-6 on the season and will have a chance to become bowl eligible next week, as the team is playing its best football under interim head coach Terry Smith.

Here is the report card for Penn State following the win against the Cornhuskers.

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Quarterback: B+

Nov 22, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer (17) runs with the ball during the second quarter against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Ethan Grunkemeyer ran the offense very effectively in his fifth career start, scoring on six of the team's eight possessions during the game. He completed 11 of 12 passes for 181 yards and one touchdown, averaging a season-high 15 yards per attempt. Grunkemeyer didn't have to pass much because of how strong the running game was, but he did a nice job on those plays. He also used his legs well to extend plays, which set up for some downfield completions.

Running Backs: A+

Nov 22, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Kaytron Allen (13) runs with the ball while trying to avoid a tackle from Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back DeShon Singleton (8) during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

After putting up 240 rushing yards against Michigan State last week, the Penn State rushing game came back and hung 234 rushing yards on Nebraska. Kaytron Allen was awesome again, showing his blend of speed and power en route to 160 yards and two touchdowns, not to mention the program rushing record. Nicholas Singleton also had a good game, picking up 44 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. He added 51 yards receiving, most of which came on a long run on a screen pass.

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This is also a good spot to shout out Penn State's offensive line. They consistently won at the line of scrimmage and set up Allen and Singleton with huge lanes. The Nittany Lion offense has been most successful when running the football, and that showed against Nebraska.

Receivers and Tight Ends: B

Nov 22, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions wide receiver Devonte Ross (5) runs with the ball before being tackled by Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Ceyair Wright (1) during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

As a result of the rushing attack, it was a pretty quiet day for Penn State's pass catchers. Trebor Peña led the way with 48 yards on four receptions, but every receiver was able to make a big play. Kyron Hudson had a 20-yard catch, Devonte Ross had a 28-yarder and freshman Koby Howard had a 31-yard play. Andrew Rappleyea was the only tight end to have a catch, which was a 4-yard touchdown on a well-designed play. Although there were limited opportunities, the Nittany Lions pushed downfield well and got some chunk plays.

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Defense: A

Nov 22, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions safety Dejuan Lane (10) attempts to tackle Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr (2) on a kickoff return during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

This game started similarly to the Michigan State game, as running back Emmett Johnson ripped off a 52-yard run on the opening drive. However, the Cornhuskers were stuffed on a fourth down at the goal line, which set the tone for a great defensive performance. The Nittany Lions won at the line of scrimmage, limiting Johnson to only 2.8 yards per carry after his long run. Quarterback TJ Lateef was under pressure throughout the night, with Yvan Kemajou and Zane Durant getting big sacks. The Cornhuskers moved the ball, but they went 1-for-6 on fourth down, which is ultimately a credit to Jim Knowles' improved defense and some good calls on important downs.

Special Teams: B

Nov 22, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions kicker Ryan Barker (94) is congratulated after kicking a field goal during the second quarter against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

We saw good and bad from the special teams against Nebraska. Kicker Ryan Barker made a 26-yard field goal, but he later missed his first career extra point. Trebor Peña had a nice 21-yard punt return in the second quarter, setting up a touchdown to make it 23-3. Gabe Nwosu had two solid punts in the game, though he had a kickoff go out of bounds for a penalty. With all that said, Penn State had a gem of a fake punt in the second half, as a direct snap to Luke Reynolds went for a big play.

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Coaching: A

Nov 22, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions interim head coach Terry Smith walks on the field during a warm up prior to the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

It's apparent that the players want to play for interim head coach Terry Smith, both in these final weeks and in the future. After this two-game winning streak, more and more fans are hoping to see Smith get the full-time gig. From first glance, it seems like Smith has done a nice job of game planning during the last two weeks. Offensively, Penn State is using fewer pre-snap motion and gadget plays, favoring a more traditional style of pounding the rock and then working the pass off of that. Defensively, we've seen more aggression, which has led to sacks and general disruption of opposing offenses.

Another note is how much more young players are seeing the field on both sides of the ball. Koby Howard has been a standout offensively, while Yvon Kemajou, Daryus Dixson, Alex Tatsch and Anthony Speca are all seeing sigificant reps on defense and making plays. This is a young core with a lot of potential, and it's promising to see them not only get a chance to play, but also to be trusted by Smith and this coaching staff.

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Overall: A

Nov 22, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Kaytron Allen (13) runs with the ball while trying to avoid a tackle from Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back DeShon Singleton (8) during the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

It's been a while since Penn State has dominated a team quite like this. The Nittany Lions won in all three phases against Nebraska and are playing their best football down the stretch — for the first time in a while, this team is fun to watch. That's all fans can ask for late in what has otherwise been a lost season for the program.

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Grading Penn State's performance vs. Nebraska

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