In today’s college football landscape, bowl games outside the College Football Playoff often feel like afterthoughts. With the transfer portal spinning nonstop, NIL deals reshaping priorities, and NFL Draft prep taking center stage for top prospects, postseason participation has become more of a personal choice than a team expectation.
But don’t tell that to Terry Smith.
Penn State’s interim head coach is steering the Nittany Lions into the Pinstripe Bowl with a steady hand and an old-school mindset - one that values finishing what you start, even in a sport that’s evolving by the minute.
As the Nittany Lions prepare to face Clemson on December 27 at Yankee Stadium, Smith is navigating a roster in transition, a coaching staff in flux, and a college football culture that’s shifting beneath his feet. Still, he’s keeping the focus tight: compete, prepare, and honor the game.
“We’re Going to Be Ready”
When Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney announced earlier this week that his team would be down 27 players for the bowl, Smith was asked if Penn State would be in a similar spot. He responded with a laugh - “We’re going to match that with 27 missing as well” - before quickly shifting to the reality.
“So far, we have four guys who’ve opted out,” Smith said. “That’s all that’s confirmed right now. We’re practicing with a full allotment, and we’ll take it day by day.”
That day-by-day approach has become a necessity in this new era of college football, where rosters can change overnight and the line between team loyalty and personal opportunity is constantly being redrawn.
Still, Smith isn’t one to get swept up in the chaos. A former Penn State player himself, he comes from a time when bowl games were a reward, not a dilemma - a chance to suit up one more time with your brothers, not a business decision to be weighed against future earnings.
“We’re preparing like any other game,” Smith said. “It’s an opportunity for us to continue to get better.
It’s a chance to finish the 2025 season strong. We’ve got a shot to win four in a row, and the guys are excited.”
That energy has shown up in practice. According to Smith, the team’s recent sessions have been among the best since he took over.
“Friday and Saturday were two of our best practices all year,” he said. “The guys are flying around.”
A Program in Transition
While the team is focused on the Pinstripe Bowl, the broader picture at Penn State is one of transition.
On December 8, the university hired Matt Campbell to become the program’s 17th head coach, ushering in a new era in Happy Valley. Smith, who has long been a key figure in the program, will be retained - though his future role hasn’t yet been defined. That clarity, he said, will come in January.
Until then, he’s the one holding it all together.
“It’s kind of a different space, so to speak,” Smith said. “We have new staff members, current staff members that will stay, current staff members that will go - same with the players.
So we’re operating in just an unorthodox area. It’s my job to bring it all together.”
That means managing not just the Xs and Os, but the human element - players considering transfers, coaches eyeing new jobs, and a program trying to stay unified through it all.
Smith recently sat down with both the coaching staff and the players to deliver a clear message: if you’re in, be all in.
“I had a meeting last week with the staff and the players, separately,” he said. “And basically, the meeting was: you’re either in or you’re out. The people that are going to show up in New York for the Pinstripe Bowl, we’re going to be prepared and ready to go win the game.”
There’s no hard deadline for opt-outs. Smith knows the nature of the game right now - NIL, the portal, and the draft all play a role. But he’s committed to transparency and managing the process with honesty.
“We live in the world of NIL, the transfer portal, players coming and going,” he said. “We just cross bridges as they come. We’ll manage it as it is and keep progressing.”
Building a Team That Wants to Be There
Regardless of who ultimately suits up in the Bronx, Smith made one thing clear: Penn State will show up ready to play.
“We’re going to put together the best team going forward for the bowl game,” he said. “We’re going to play hard, and we’re going out there to play as good a football game as we possibly can. Our fans will be proud of the effort we put out there.”
That mindset - effort, pride, accountability - is central to how Smith sees the role of college football in a player’s life. He wants his guys to finish the season before making their next move.
“My policy is I want every kid to play to finish the season,” he said. “I’m an old-school football guy.
The reason we’re all on this call is because Penn State plays football. I want to hold every guy accountable so that we finish the season, and then after the season, we all make the best decision for each individual.”
Smith did leave the door open for players to opt out of the game itself - but not from the team.
“If he opts out, they have to accompany the team, they have to participate in practices and be around the program,” Smith said. “If they’re not around the program, then they cannot travel with us.”
Making the Bowl Matter
In a sport that’s increasingly defined by what’s next - the next school, the next deal, the next draft pick - Terry Smith is focused on what’s now.
Yes, the Pinstripe Bowl isn’t the College Football Playoff. Yes, the roster is in flux. But for Smith, that doesn’t make the game any less meaningful.
This is still Penn State football. And as long as he’s in charge, the standard won’t slip.
Smith is leaning on consistency, accountability, and a deep-rooted belief that football is about more than just the scoreboard or the stat sheet. It’s about showing up, playing hard, and finishing the job - even when everything around you is changing.
And come December 27, that’s exactly what he plans to do.