If you woke up this morning frantically checking your phone to see who won the Penn State football game last night, you’re probably met with a bit of a confusing silence. Here is the blunt reality: there wasn't a football game last night.
Penn State football actually wrapped up its 2025-26 campaign a few weeks ago in the Bronx. On December 27, 2025, the Nittany Lions took care of business against Clemson in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl, winning 22-10. Since then, the pads have been in storage.
But wait. If you saw "Penn State" and "Win" trending all over social media last night, January 16, 2026, you weren't hallucinating.
The Confusion: Why Everyone Thinks Penn State Played Last Night
It’s easy to get wires crossed in a town like State College where sports are basically a religion. While the football team is currently deep in the off-season—dealing with coaching changes and the transfer portal—another Nittany Lion powerhouse was absolutely destroying a rival last night.
The No. 1 ranked Penn State Wrestling team went into Carver-Hawkeye Arena and dismantled No. 4 Iowa with a staggering 32-3 scoreline. For many Penn State fans, a win over Iowa in wrestling feels just as significant as a Saturday night under the lights at Beaver Stadium.
We also saw the Penn State Men's Hockey team pull off a chippy victory over Notre Dame at Pegula Ice Arena, and the Women’s Hockey team took down Syracuse 4-1.
So, when people ask who won the Penn State football game last night, they are usually actually seeing the ripples of these massive wrestling and hockey victories.
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What Really Happened in the Last Penn State Football Game?
To understand where the program sits right now, you have to look back at that Pinstripe Bowl victory against Clemson. It wasn't exactly the College Football Playoff (CFP) appearance fans were dreaming of back in August when the team was ranked No. 2 in the country, but it was a vital "get right" game.
The 22-10 win over Clemson allowed Penn State to finish the season with a 7-6 record.
Honestly, the season was a roller coaster. After a blistering 3-0 start, the wheels kind of fell off during a brutal stretch in October and November. They dropped five straight games, including heartbreakers to Oregon and Iowa.
Key Stats from the Season Finale:
- Ethan Grunkemeyer: Threw for 262 yards, looking every bit like the future of the offense.
- Quinton Martin Jr.: Rushed for 101 yards, proving the ground game still has teeth.
- Tyler Pena: Snagged 100 receiving yards, emerging as a reliable target.
That four-game winning streak to end the year—beating Michigan State, Nebraska, Rutgers, and finally Clemson—saved the narrative. It turned a potential disaster into a "bridge year" story.
Who Won the Penn State Football Game Last Night? Looking Ahead to 2026
Since there was no game last night, the real "action" is happening in the meeting rooms.
The program is undergoing a massive shift. Matt Campbell took over the reins late in 2025, and the staff is still being filled out. Just this week, Savon Huggins was named the new running backs coach. These are the "wins" Penn State is racking up right now, even if they don't show up on a scoreboard.
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The 2026 schedule is already looking beefy. We know the Nittany Lions open up on September 5 against Marshall at Beaver Stadium.
Upcoming 2026 Opponents:
- Marshall (Home - Sept 5)
- Temple (Away - Sept 12)
- Buffalo (Home - Sept 19)
- USC (Home - Date TBA)
- Washington (Away - Date TBA)
The Big Ten is a different beast now. With teams like Oregon and Washington in the mix, there are no "easy" Saturdays anymore.
Why the Search Trends are Spiking Now
You might wonder why so many people are searching for a football score in mid-January.
Part of it is the "Nittany Lions" brand. When the wrestling team wins 32-3 against a rival like Iowa, the news alerts often just say "Penn State wins." If you aren't a die-hard wrestling fan, your brain goes straight to football.
Plus, we are in the heart of the NFL playoffs. With former Penn State stars like Saquon Barkley and Micah Parsons making noise in the Wild Card and Divisional rounds, "Penn State football" stays at the top of the mind.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re a Penn State fan, the "off-season" is actually the busiest time for news.
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Keep an eye on the Transfer Portal. With the coaching transition to the Matt Campbell era, players are moving in and out quickly. This will determine if Penn State can return to that Top 5 status they held briefly last September.
Also, if you want to see a win right now, check out the wrestling highlights from last night. Watching Luke Lilledahl and Marcus Blaze dominate in Iowa City is the best way to scratch that competitive itch until September rolls around.
Check the official Penn State Athletics site or follow the beat writers on X (formerly Twitter) to stay updated on the 2026 recruiting class. The early signing period may be over, but the late window and portal additions are where the 2026 roster will really take shape.
The football team didn't play last night, but the program is moving at 100 miles per hour.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Monitor the Big Ten 2026 schedule announcements for the exact dates of the USC and Washington games.
- Watch the NFL Divisional Round to see which Nittany Lion alumni are still chasing a Super Bowl ring.
- Follow the Penn State Wrestling team as they head to Northwestern on Sunday, January 18, to keep their undefeated streak alive.