Amare Campbell's scoop-and-score lifts Penn State past Rutgers

Field Level Media|published: Sat 29th November, 19:26 2025

Nov 29, 2025; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) carries the ball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the first half at SHI Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Amare Campbell returned a fumble 61 yards for a touchdown to lift Penn State to a 40-36 Big Ten win over Rutgers Saturday in Piscataway, N.J.

The win makes the Nittany Lions (6-6) bowl eligible. Penn State has beaten the Scarlet Knights 18 straight times.

Rutgers (5-7) still had a chance to go ahead when Athan Kaliakmanis hit KJ Duff on a 42-yard pass to the Penn State 36 with 5:46 left in the game.

The drive stalled at the Penn State 28, however, and Campbell and Zion Tracy brought Kaliakmanis down on fourth-and-1 to turn the ball over on downs.

Kaytron Allen then all but put the game away with a 50-yard run to the Rutgers 28 with 2:24 left.

The Scarlet Knights were ahead 36-33 and had driven to the Penn State 32 with 7:27 left when the ball slipped out of Kaliakmanis' hand and Campbell took it in for the winner.

The two teams combined for 1,042 yards.

Allen had 226 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries. His running mate Nicholas Singleton had 86 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries.

Antwan Raymond led Rutgers with 189 yards rushing and a touchdown. He added 62 yards and another touchdown receiving.

Kaliakmanis completed 16 of 22 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns.

Ethan Grunkemeyer completed 17 of 21 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown for the Nittany Lions.

Allen and Singleton traded historic runs on the same drive in the first half.

Allen went first, as Penn State's all-time leading rusher sprinted 55 yards in the first quarter to surpass the 4,000-yard rushing mark for his career.

Three plays later, Singleton rushed up the middle for an 11-yard touchdown to put Penn State up 14-7. It was the 54th total touchdown of the senior's career, passing Saquon Barkley for the most in Penn State history.

After a 2-yard touchdown run by Kaliakmanis tied the score, Allen took his turn in the end zone.

The senior capped an 89-yard, 4-play drive by rushing off right tackle through a huge hole for a 15-yard touchdown and a 21-14 Penn State lead one play into the second quarter.

At that point, Singleton and Allen had combined for nine carries and 167 yards.

--Field Level Media

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