Penn State Dominates Nebraska, Securing Bowl Eligibility with 37-10 Victory

Penn State kept its postseason hopes alive in commanding fashion, defeating the Nebraska Cornhuskers 37-10 in a Big Ten showdown at Beaver Stadium on Saturday night. The Nittany Lions not only delivered their most complete performance of the season, but also celebrated a historic milestone as Kaytron Allen became the program’s all-time rushing leader, surpassing Evan Royster’s 3,932 career yards. ESPN: Nebraska vs. Penn State (Nov 22, 2025) Live Score provides a full game breakdown and statistics. Penn State, now 5-6 (2-6 Big Ten), jumped out to an early lead with a 98-yard scoring drive capped by Ethan Grunkemeyer’s four-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Rappleyea. Grunkemeyer had his most efficient outing of the year, completing 11 of 12 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown. The Nittany Lions’ offense amassed 412 total yards, the first time Nebraska’s defense allowed over 400 yards all season. Penn State football vs Nebraska live updates, highlights … offers additional in-game context and player highlights. Kaytron Allen was the star of the night, rushing for 160 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. With a three-yard gain early in the fourth quarter, Allen broke the all-time rushing record, finishing the night with 3,933 career yards. His performance also included a 50-yard run on the opening drive that set the tone for Penn State’s ground game dominance. Nick Singleton contributed with two rushing touchdowns and 51 receiving yards, while Trebor Pena and freshman Koby Howard made key receptions to sustain drives. Defensively, Penn State was stifling. The unit held Nebraska to just 318 total yards and forced the Cornhuskers into four failed fourth-down attempts. Linebacker Dom DeLuca led with 10 tackles, while Dani Dennis-Sutton, Yvan Kemajou, and Zane Durant each recorded a sack. Penn State was perfect in the red zone, converting all six trips into points, while Nebraska was just two-for-four. For Nebraska, the loss drops them to 7-4 (4-4 Big Ten), and their all-time series lead over Penn State narrows to just 10-9. Junior running back Emmett Johnson was a lone bright spot, rushing for 103 yards—his fourth straight 100-yard game—and adding a career-high eight catches for 48 yards. Johnson’s season total now stands at 1,534 scrimmage yards, making him the first Husker to top 1,500 yards since Ameer Abdullah in 2014. Jacory Barney Jr. also impressed with 166 all-purpose yards, including 111 on kickoff returns. Senior safety DeShon Singleton anchored the defense with 10 tackles and his first career sack. The victory keeps Penn State’s bowl aspirations alive heading into the final week of the season. The Nittany Lions’ defense has now held opponents to just 10 points in back-to-back games, a testament to their late-season improvement. For more detailed stats and a quarter-by-quarter breakdown, visit Penn State Dominates Nebraska, 37-10. The matchup was also notable for Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule’s return to Happy Valley, where he played as a Penn State alum. Though Rhule signed a two-year extension with Nebraska and did not take the open Penn State job, his return added a layer of intrigue to a game with significant postseason implications for both programs. With one week left in the regular season, Penn State faces a must-win scenario to secure bowl eligibility, while Nebraska will look to regroup ahead of their annual rivalry game against Iowa. As both teams look to close out the year on a strong note, this matchup will be remembered for Allen’s record-breaking night and the Nittany Lions’ resurgence when it mattered most.