Trebor Peña saved his best for last-and Penn State reaped the rewards.
In his final game as a Nittany Lion, the sixth-year wide receiver delivered a performance that was equal parts electric and emotional, catching five passes for a season-high 100 yards and a touchdown in Penn State’s 22-10 Pinstripe Bowl win over Clemson. It was just the second time all year a Penn State receiver cracked the 100-yard mark, and Peña picked the perfect moment to do it.
The highlight? A 73-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter that broke the game open and helped seal the win.
The play started with a 17-yard strike over the middle, but Peña did the rest-shaking off defenders, turning on the jets, and sprinting into the end zone. It was the longest reception of his career, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
“It was awesome,” said offensive lineman Dom Rulli. “We blocked our a- off, and then to see a guy like Trebor make a move, break a tackle, and take it to the house-it’s a huge momentum swing. That’s the kind of play that fires everyone up.”
Peña’s effort earned him MVP honors and capped off a season that didn’t always go according to plan-but finished in style. After transferring from Syracuse, where he earned All-ACC second-team honors in 2024, Peña was brought in to inject life into a wide receiver room that had struggled to produce in recent years. And while his numbers didn’t always jump off the page, he found his rhythm late in the season.
During the heart of Big Ten play, Peña was quiet-he didn’t top 20 receiving yards in a game until six weeks in. But things flipped after a breakout 99-yard performance against then-No.
2 Indiana. From that point forward, he became a consistent presence in the offense, catching 23 passes for 320 yards over the final five games.
That late-season surge coincided with a shift in Penn State’s offensive philosophy. The Nittany Lions started pushing the ball downfield more, and Peña thrived in that expanded role. His ability to stretch the field and make plays after the catch became a valuable piece of the offense-especially for freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer, who made it a point to get the ball to his veteran wideouts.
“I was super excited to find out they were playing again,” Grunkemeyer said of Peña and the other seniors. “We wanted to send them out on a high note, give them every opportunity we could, and that’s something we talked about.”
Peña finished the season with 49 catches for 552 yards and two touchdowns-solid numbers, but more importantly, he left his mark when it mattered most. His leadership, experience, and late-season production gave Penn State’s offense a much-needed lift down the stretch.
And while he may not have hit every preseason benchmark, Peña walked off the field in the Bronx with a bowl win, a game ball, and a legacy of resilience and impact.
“Having another chance to play a game, you’ve got to take advantage,” Peña said.
He certainly did.