Ethan Grunkemeyer's 75-yard scoring strike to wideout Devonte Ross midway through the second quarter put Penn State up 14-10 and Michigan State would not score the rest of the way.
Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer congratulates wide receiver Devonte Ross after his touchdown run during the fourth quarter on Nov. 15, 2025. Joe Hermitt | jhermitt@pennlive.comOn first down from the PSU 25, the Lions, trailing by three points, were thinking big.
Big play. Lions wideout Devonte Ross, the outside receiver in a twin set to the left, broke inside Kyron Hudson and raced down the middle of the field. Soon he was wide open near the Spartans’ 45.provided quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer with a clean pocket. The redshirt freshman was able to step into his throw from the Penn State 18.Penn State was now in front 14-10 en route to a 28-10 victory.Held to 58 rushing yards and 2.5 per attempt in the first half, the Lions rumbled for 182 yards on the ground in the final 30 minutes. PSU averaged 6.7 yards per rush. Allen finished with a career-high 181 yards and a pair of scores and Ross added a second touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. Penn State interim head coach Terry Smith said Grunkemeyer’s long touchdown pass – the Lions’ longest offensive play of the season – changed the way Michigan State had to defend. “Ethan continues to progress,” Smith said Monday with the 4-6 Lions prepping to host 7-3 Nebraska on Saturday night. “The long touchdown pass, I think, was one of the longest in multiple years. That was big in the sense that it opened the run game up. Those guys realize they can’t crowd the box. It was kind of, you put them in a situation where they have to pick their poison.” Penn State ran the ball 27 times in the second half. Grunkemeyer only attempted two passes, completing the one to Ross for a four-yard touchdown that extended PSU’s lead to 21-10. Grunkemeyer finished 8 of 13 for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Smith said Grunkemeyer, who will make his fifth career start vs. the Cornhuskers, remains a work in progress. “I think Ethan, on some of the fourth-down calls and third-down calls, he’s got to stand in the pocket just a little bit more, and that’s just continuing to grow and develop, and he’ll get that with experience,” Smith said. “But I think each game is managing the game really well. I think he’s playing better in the second half. He used his legs, which we need that, so those guys can’t just tee off with him in the pocket. “Then the most important thing for us is when he’s running, we can’t afford for to take a hit. He’s got to go down and slide and keep himself healthy so he can play the next snap.”If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our
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