Penn State Nittany Lions vs Clemson Tigers Prediction, 12/27/2025 College Football Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Penn State Nittany Lions vs Clemson Tigers

Date: Saturday, December 27, 2025

Location: Yankee Stadium in Bronx, NY

TV: ABC

Odds/Point Spread: Tigers (-3.5)

Total/Over-Under: 48.5

The Clemson Tigers (7-5) will try to defeat the Penn State Nittany Lions (6-6) at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, December 27, 2025 in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. Clemson is 3.5-point favorites from oddsmakers. The betting total is set at 48.5.

The Penn State Nittany Lions step onto the field holding a record of 6-6 for this season. The last time they took the field, the Nittany Lions faced the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and earned the victory with a final of 40-36. In the running game, the Nittany Lions conceded 195 yds on 42 tries, which averages out to 4.6 yards per run surrendered. Penn State gave up 16 completions on 22 tries for 338 yards, and a completion rate of 72.7%. Overall, they had 54 plays which totaled 509 yards. The Penn State Nittany Lions ran the football 33 times and accumulated 300 yards, earning them an average of 9.1 yards per tote.

When talking about scoring points, the Penn State Nittany Lions have an average of 31.8 PPG. As a unit they hold an average of 177.5 yards via the ground game which is 46th in the country. The Nittany Lions have racked up 4,309 total yards this year. When it comes to getting the ball in the endzone, Penn State has earned 14 touchdowns via the pass and 30 rushing touchdowns. Penn State has accumulated 236 1st downs, and they have been flagged for 50 infractions for 450 yards. They have given the ball to the opposition 10 different times.

In terms of passing yards, the Nittany Lions have given up 2,202 yds which ranks them 15th in the country. They are conceding 183.5 yards per outing via the pass as well as giving up a completion percentage of 63.6%. For the season, they have surrendered 334.3 yards/game putting them at 33rd in the nation. They have conceded 16 touchdowns via the pass and 16 touchdowns on the ground. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 4.2 yards per attempt on the ground and 150.8 rushing yards per game on the season. Overall, they have conceded 1,810 running yards through 12 contests. The Nittany Lions rank 38th in Division 1 in terms of team defense, giving up 21.4 points per contest.

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The Tigers step onto the field holding a record of 7-5 this year. For their last game, the Tigers walked away with a victory by a final of 28-14 against the South Carolina Gamecocks. The Tigers finished with a total of 415 yds while running 79 plays (5.3 yards per play). Clemson rushed for 3.7 yards per carry, finishing with a total of 147 yards on 40 carries. Clemson gave up 19 attempts on the ground for 41 yards (2.2 yards per carry). The Tigers secondary conceded a completion percentage of 54.8%, relinquishing 381 yds on 23 for 42 through the air.

In relation to their scoring prowess, the Tigers rank 59th in the nation holding an average of 28.7 points per game. The Clemson Tigers hold an average of 405.3 yards per contest, which has them sitting 48th in Division 1. The Clemson offense has totaled 542 yards of penalties on 56 violations, which has them ranked 119th in Division 1 in terms of making mistakes. They have tossed 7 picks while letting opponents recover 8 fumbles and they have been able to earn 258 first downs. Over the course of the season to this point, the Tigers have racked up 3,288 yards through the air as well as an average of 274.0 throwing yards per contest, which has them sitting 21st in the nation. They hold an average of 131.3 yards per game on the ground and have run for 1,576 yards for the season.

The Tigers are giving up 20.4 points per contest, which has them sitting 29th in Division 1. Clemson has given up a total of 1,234 yards via the ground game (102.8 yards per contest) in addition to 10 touchdowns by way of the ground game for the season. They have given up 16 touchdowns from the passing game as well as 250.5 yards per game, which has them in 120th in the nation. The Tigers defense has taken the field for 796 plays, which is good for 50th in D-1. Their defense has totaled 8 fumbles and 10 picks on the year. This year, they have given up 245 pts.

Who will win tonight's Nittany Lions/Tigers college football game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take the Nittany Lions +3.5

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