Two and a half weeks ago, Penn State football suffered a heartbreaking loss at the hands of a last-gasp Omar Cooper Jr. touchdown catch against the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers.

The defeat signaled Penn State’s sixth consecutive drop and pushed the Nittany Lions to two winless months. Their last win before that moment was against Villanova on September 13.

However, fans saw one thing against Indiana that Penn State lacked in its previous run of games: an outstanding display of effort.

Terry Smith ensured the squad wouldn’t lie down against the Hoosiers. The Nittany Lions fought valiantly and lost on a touch of football magic between Fernando Mendoza and Cooper.

In college football, though, no matter how good a fight you put up, a loss is still a loss. One more and Penn State would miss out on bowl eligibility for the first time since 2004.

That prospect really injected some juice into the squad.

The Nittany Lions marched into Spartan Stadium and spoiled Michigan State’s Senior Day in a 28-10 win. Penn State ran it back for its own Senior Day against Nebraska in week 13, where Kaytron Allen’s record-setting day propelled the program to its second consecutive win.

Penn State’s tumultuous, ugly, chaotic 2025 season and quest for bowl eligibility have now led to one place: Piscataway, New Jersey.

Only the Rutgers Scarlet Knights stand in the way of a postseason berth for the Nittany Lions to extract some real positives to end the year.

“This is like a playoff game. We’re playing to get that extra game,” Smith said at his weekly press conference on Monday. “Our guys are excited to finish the year out. So far, preparation has gone great. The energy is still in the building… the past is the past. Now we move forward. Rutgers is all that matters. It means everything to us in the building, and we’re trying to go out and get this victory.”

Smith kept Rutgers at the forefront of most of his answers despite predominantly being asked about the head coaching job. He said he’s focused on the game, and he and Pat Kraft will sit down and discuss the gig whenever that point comes.

“I love Penn State. I would be open to any possibilities of staying here,” Smith said. “But this week, I’m worried about Rutgers. My goal is to finish this season off with three victories in a row, get us bowl eligible, and then get prepared for a bowl game after that.”

Smith said the main thing he’s driven forward since taking over is reestablishing Penn State’s culture. Even with the horrid situation the Nittany Lions found themselves in by mid-October, he had rallied the troops and made them play tough. The talent is there; Smith just needed to break the shell.

Through a simplification of the defense, a strong showing from Ethan Grunkemeyer so far as QB1, and wide support for Smith to become head coach, Penn State has it all on the line for one last time in 2025. The Nittany Lions have to reel it all in to make something from nothing.