Penn State’s 2025 football season didn’t deliver many highs, but it ended with one final win that gave fans something to remember.

The Nittany Lions wrapped up the 2025 campaign with a 22–10 win over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium, ending the year on a good note. After a season highlighted by inconsistency and unmet expectations, Penn State strung together just enough wins to reach bowl eligibility and earn a trip to New York.

For the class of 2029, this fall served as their first introduction to Penn State football as students. Now, our freshman staffers are looking back on what that first season felt like from beginning to end.

Taylor McDonald

My first Penn State football season was filled with insane memories and experiences I will never forget. Aside from the game itself, the social atmosphere was unbeatable. Waking up at 6 a.m. for a noon game just to bundle up and tailgate with friends and family will be unforgettable. Despite the tears and sorrows that may have been felt through these past couple of months, I’m so thankful for everything I’ve experienced this year, like the whiteout game and being a part of College Gameday, to getting to meet some amazing personalities. The people and connections I’ve met and gained this season, I will absolutely cherish going forward in the upcoming seasons, no matter the roller coasters it might bring.

Karlee Feger

My first Penn State football season was unforgettable. As a long-time football fan, I always knew Penn State football was like no other, but physically experiencing it has been nothing short of amazing. Game day had quickly become my favorite day and something I had looked forward to after a long week of classes. No matter the outcome of the game, I got to feel the energy and soak up the atmosphere that my younger self dreamed of as I watched on television. I would have never imagined I would be living the Penn State college experience, cheering from the most electric student section in the country. One of my favorite memories of the season was getting to watch College GameDay on Old Main. Seeing the legendary crew live is something I will never forget. I cannot wait for the next three years and the excitement it will bring.

Brian Kriley

My first Penn State football season was certainly one to remember. Growing up in State College, I was always a fan of Penn State football, but I never had the opportunity to actually attend a game. I was fortunate enough to get season tickets through the lottery this year, and I attended every game. Despite the team’s lack of success and overall disappointing season, going to the home games was a surreal experience, and I will definitely look to go to every game I can in the future.

Christian Gresko

Contrary to some, I had an amazing experience my freshman year of football. Obviously, the season didn’t go as well as the expectations had hoped, but when I look past that, it was truly awesome. Having the opportunity to photograph the home games during the season as a freshman was something I could’ve never expected. The number of people I have been able to meet and grow closer to has been a real blessing.

On top of the people I’ve gotten to share a space with, I’ve created some of my best work, and I’m super proud of my growth from all of it. I got to watch one game from the crowd this year, and that was unreal to experience, along with the tailgates that came before it. I’ve been around Penn State culture my entire life, but it is a completely different beast in and around Beaver Stadium. So grateful for my experiences this year, even if the record didn’t turn out to be what we expected.

Sammy Layman

The excitement of walking into a Penn State football stadium is unlike any other feeling. Seeing the packed stands and feeling the energy of the crowd in person is completely different than watching it on TV. I wasn’t super into football before I came to Penn State, but being surrounded by the atmosphere, tradition, and school spirit changed that. Experiencing it firsthand made me realize how powerful sports can be in bringing people together, and it motivated me to pursue football media.

Walking you through the experience, there’s chaos everywhere. On White Out, the halls are packed wall to wall. You look down and see white streamers scattered across the floor and $15 hot dogs everywhere, which is basically how I went into debt. Every game brings a new adventure, but the constant is the pride of the fans and the competitive spirit to win.

Brandon Collica

Even though the season didn’t go as planned, the experience was still amazing. I was fortunate enough to get student tickets, so I went to every game to watch the team. This was definitely a crazy season to have been my first, but it allowed for some really exciting moments like the double OT game against Oregon and the close game against Indiana, even though they didn’t go our way. Being in the student section chanting “Terry! Terry! Terry!” was also a super unique experience within a roller coaster of a season. Being in the student section is exactly what it looks like on TV. The energy is unmatched from the yelling on every play, the crowd going nuts for “Mo Bamba”, and the “We Are” chants all made for an incredible first experience. And the overalls, totally worth it.

Brandon Hurley

Nothing quite compares to my first football season with Penn State, both extremely good and utterly insane. Going from watching football on the TV at home and having never been in a stadium like Beaver, to now being in the student section and even getting to cover games from around the stadium in various capacities, was such an amazing transition. I, as most, did not want the season to end the way it did (I was hoping to see a National Champion brought home for the first time in 30+ years), but regardless it was one for the books. Tailgates were phenomenal, which is a staple here of Nittany Nation, and the people were obviously nuts.

And then, they fired our coach, and honestly, I was discouraged. I didn’t see us ending the season well. However, I don’t think I would’ve asked for a better ending than what we had (second only to winning a natty). We saw people come together to celebrate an interim head coach, who led us to a strong season finish and even a bowl win. All in all, the first season as a freshman was amazing. I would not trade it for anything.

Peter Williams

Sitting in the Willard Building toward the end of Summer Session, my CAS100A professor was lecturing when the most highly anticipated emails of the year were released: the Penn State Football lottery results. Instantly, the entire class erupted in a split mixture of excitement and disappointment. I was one of the lucky ones that day and immediately started thinking of what my season would look like, what I would do on game days, and everything in between. While the final outcome was far short of my imagination, I enjoyed every moment.

I attended six games, except for Nebraska, and was there through all the highs and lows. I had attended a few games before being a student, but being in the student section was an experience unlike any other. I collected two “S zone” t-shirts (blue and pink) and still have my White Out shaker. Standing in the crowd, from beginning to end, from the chanting to singing the Alma Mater, truly is an experience unlike any other. I never completely understood it until I was home for the Thanksgiving game, and heard the Blue Band playing and the crowd screaming during the game through a television speaker. While I had just gotten home, I missed being there, and that’s when I realized what it really meant to be a Penn Stater.