BRONX, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive struggle and offensive frustration, Penn State broke through with a stunning fourth-quarter explosion to defeat Clemson 22-10 on Saturday at Yankee Stadium.

The Nittany Lions, finishing their season at 7-6, scored 16 points in the final period to turn a tense 6-3 lead into a decisive victory, handing the Tigers an identical 7-6 final record in a matchup where both teams entered with postseason aspirations on the line.

The contest, played before a crowd of 41,101, was a far cry from the offensive shootout projected by oddsmakers. Interstat’s game simulator had predicted a 24-23 Clemson win, with the Tigers given a 56% probability to triumph. Instead, the game became a grinding battle of field position and missed opportunities until Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer authored the defining sequence.

For three quarters, the offenses sputtered. Penn State managed only a pair of field goals from Ryan Barker, from 22 yards in the first quarter and 48 yards just before halftime. Clemson’s sole answer was a 48-yard field goal from Nolan Hauser with 56 seconds left in the second quarter. The Tigers’ attack, led by quarterback Cade Klubnik, consistently moved into Penn State territory but repeatedly stalled. Klubnik finished 22 of 39 for 193 yards and was sacked four times, with Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton recording two of those sacks.

The most important part of the game arrived early in the fourth quarter. Leading just 9-3 after a Barker 43-yard field goal, Penn State’s defense forced a Clemson punt. On the ensuing possession, facing a third-and-2 from his own 28-yard line, Grunkemeyer dropped back and found receiver Trebor Pena on a short pass over the middle. Pena broke a tackle and raced 73 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown, a play that electrified the Penn State contingent and gave the Nittany Lions a 15-3 lead after a failed two-point conversion run.

Grunkemeyer, the Lewis Center, Ohio, native, was the game’s top star, completing 23 of 34 passes for 262 yards and two touchdowns. His poise in the final quarter provided the necessary spark after a game dominated by punts and defensive stands.

Clemson responded with its only sustained touchdown drive of the day, a 13-play, 93-yard march capped by a 2-yard Adam Randall run. Randall was a workhorse for the Tigers, carrying 11 times for 35 yards and catching five passes for 8 yards, contributing both as a runner and receiver. His score cut the deficit to 15-10 with 8:47 remaining, injecting brief life into the Clemson sideline.

Penn State, however, delivered the knockout blow. Taking over at its own 25, the Nittany Lions engineered a methodical, game-sealing drive. Grunkemeyer connected with Devonte Ross for a 35-yard gain to move into Clemson territory. The drive was sustained by the steady running of Quinton Martin Jr., who finished with 101 yards on 20 carries. Facing third down at the Clemson 11, Grunkemeyer rolled left and hit tight end Andrew Rappleyea for an 11-yard touchdown pass with 4:56 left. Barker’s extra point provided the final 22-10 margin.

Penn State’s defense, which bent but rarely broke, sealed the game from there. The Nittany Lions recorded two more sacks on Klubnik on Clemson’s final desperate possession, with Vaboue Toure and Dennis-Sutton leading a relentless pass rush. Linebacker Amare Campbell and Toure each had seven tackles.

Clemson’s defense fought valiantly in defeat. Linebacker Sammy Brown registered a game-high 14 tackles, while Will Heldt had eight tackles and two quarterback hurries. The Tigers held Penn State to just two field goals on three extended red zone trips in the first half, but ultimately could not contain Grunkemeyer when it mattered most.

The game’s statistical oddity belonged to Clemson punter Jack Smith, who attempted a pass on a fake punt in the first quarter that fell incomplete, one of many early setbacks for the Tigers. Penn State punter Gabriel Nwosu of Derwood, Maryland, averaged 45 yards on his three kicks, consistently flipping field position.

The victory gave Penn State a winning record after a season of narrow defeats, including four losses by a touchdown or less. Clemson’s season concluded with a similar narrative, having lost three games by three points or fewer. On a cold December afternoon in the Bronx, however, it was Penn State that executed in the critical moments, turning a defensive stalemate into a double-digit victory to close its campaign.