Clemson took right field at Yankee Stadium, its mascot and cheerleaders standing beside a mountain of snow taller than Aaron Judge.
Penn State manned the third base side, before thousands of empty seats, covered in fresh powder.
Two of college football’s premier programs were right where they belonged.
The Bronx was the most appropriate host for a year-ending clash of teams that opened the season with title expectations and became the sport’s greatest disappointments, relegated to a mid-level bowl typically reserved for the likes of Rutgers, Boston College and Syracuse.
The scoreboard at the Pinstripe Bowl claimed Penn State prevailed, 22-10, in subfreezing temperatures on Saturday, but there were no winners in an error-filled affair — sans dozens of players who opted out or entered the transfer portal — which offered constant reminders of how each perceived playoff lock ended up on a baseball field.
The Nittany Lions (7-6) won their fourth straight game to avoid the embarrassment of finishing with a losing mark, but a season that started with them ranked as the No. 2 team in the nation — coming off a playoff semifinal appearance — will be defined by the mid-October firing of 12th-year head coach James Franklin.
The Tigers (7-6), ranked No. 4 entering the season, were the overwhelming favorite of the nation’s weakest power conference, coming off their eighth ACC title in 10 years, led by a two-time national championship-winning coach (Dabo Swinney) who predicted Clemson would be the first 16-0 team in college football history.
Even before their four-game win streak was snapped against Penn State, the Tigers had already clinched their worst record in 15 years, adding another forgettable chapter to a decade that Swinney once looked set to dominate.
Cade Klubnik, a top-two preseason Heisman favorite, was one of the rare stars from either side to suit up, trying to revive a draft stock that’s seen him slip from the first round to a potential Day 3 pick.
But the Clemson senior’s 40th career start could’ve been confused with his first, featuring several off-target passes and a stunning lack of pocket awareness, as he completed 22-of-39 for 193 yards with no touchdowns, while being outplayed by Penn State’s redshirt freshman Ethan Grunkemeyer, who finished 23-of-34 for 262 yards and two touchdowns.
Neither side reached the end zone until the fourth quarter, when Penn State’s Trebor Pena was sandwiched by a pair of defenders on a short slant, but bounced off both to finish a 73-yard touchdown, giving the Nittany Lions a 15-3 lead with 12:51 remaining.
Clemson clawed back to within one score on the next possession, capped by Adam Randall’s 2-yard touchdown run, but celebratory snowballs from Penn State’s fan section followed, as Grunkemeyer led a 75-yard touchdown drive, ending with an 11-yard catch by tight end Andrew Rappleyea.
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