Thirty-four players didn’t play for Penn State football in the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson. Thirty-four.

A large part of that number dwindles down to opt-outs. Players like Zuriah Fisher, A.J. Harris, and Elliot Washington II didn’t see a way forward for themselves within the program, and they chose to jumpstart their transfer portal process. That’s fair, but it really put a wrench in Penn State’s bowl preparation with multiple starters.

However, the coaching staff never had to worry about Dani Dennis-Sutton’s availability against the Clemson Tigers.

“Dani told me after the Rutgers game, he said, ‘coach, I’m going to play in this game, and I’m going to be the MVP’, is what he told me,” Terry Smith said postgame. “And, I know Trebor [Peña] got the MVP, but Dani is my MVP, because this guy didn’t have to play today. Guys of his caliber and magnitude, a lot of them walk away and just chase the next journey. And that’s okay. There’s nothing negative in that statement. But he chose to come back with an outstanding performance.”

Dennis-Sutton registered a signature performance, terrorizing the Tigers all afternoon. He sacked Cade Klubnik twice for 22 yards and had four total tackles. He passed Matt Millen and Abdul Carter in career sacks at Penn State, bringing his total to 23.5. The senior defensive end set a ferocious defensive tone from the first snap, propelling Penn State to its first win as an underdog in 13 games.

Dennis-Sutton acknowledged that his teammates who opted out had their own reasons and situations to do so, but affirmed that he never thought to do so himself. He said Smith has given him everything through the back half of the season, and it didn’t feel right to walk out on the team.

“People did ask me, and I told them before even the last game, I was like ‘yeah, I plan on playing in the game,'” Dennis-Sutton said. “Like I said, I love football. I love playing for this program. I have fun when I’m out there. There was really no question. Like, I don’t really understand not playing in the game.”

The most recent slew of opt-outs came Friday afternoon when Smith announced that offensive linemen Nick Dawkins, Nolan Rucci, Drew Shelton, and Khalil Dinkins would miss the matchup against the Tigers. This essentially left behind a completely new offensive line for the bowl game, with Anthony Donkoh as the only returning starter. Dennis-Sutton’s presence made the game easier to manage for players thrown into the trenches like Dominic Rulli.

“He is the standard. Having an old guy who wants to continue to play with us, it’s just juice all around,” Rulli said.

The confidence that Dennis-Sutton instilled in Rulli ultimately reflected back on Ethan Grunkemeyer in the pocket. Grunkemeyer’s had a lot to navigate in the past two months, and his own growth as a leader has been chugged along by Dennis-Sutton’s commitment to the program in the face of the season’s difficulties. That trust only deepened with Dennis-Sutton’s decision to play against the Tigers.

“Dani is a high-character guy. Everyone in the locker room loves him. Just a great guy, especially in the last couple of months with all of the hardships we’ve been having,” Grunkemeyer said. “He’s just been a glue guy for us. He’s a leader for the team. Been a guy that’s been here for a while, and obviously he’s a very good player, so it’s easy to follow a guy like that and help us get through those tough times.”

Freshman cornerback Daryus Dixson also had a productive day on the back end against the Tigers. He came so close to picking off Klubnik twice in the first half and really made his presence felt along the sidelines. He ended his day with a game-high three pass breakups.

Dixson said he was surprised that Dennis-Sutton decided to play in the Pinstripe Bowl, but he saw it as a blessing that the senior could don the blue and white one last time. Dixson said Dennis-Sutton was ready to at bowl practice directly after the Rutgers game, and that just describes how tenacious he is.

Dennis-Sutton’s decision to play and lead the Nittany Lions to a Pinstripe Bowl victory solidifies him in Penn State lore. College football is clearly different now. Penn State has suffered at the hands of it many times before. But Dennis-Sutton’s desire to represent the program to the best of his ability encompasses what it means to be a Nittany Lion.

A bowl game is more than just a bowl game. It’s one last ride that concludes a chapter of Penn State football history. The program will look completely different in the coming months. Dennis-Sutton setting the example for Penn State’s younger studs showcases that no matter what the college football landscape looks like, the Penn State way can still be achieved.