The Penn State football team was able to recover after a disastrous start to the season. Penn State finished the regular season at 6-6, and will make a bowl game with interim head coach Terry Smith. Smith gave an impassioned speech following the Nittany Lions' win over Rutgers Saturday.

“When your best was required, you gave us your best,” Smith said to his team on Saturday, after the win. The speech was shared in part on social media by Nittany Sports Now.

Penn State fired former head coach James Franklin this season, after the team lost three consecutive Big Ten games. Smith was chosen as interim, and found a way to win three contests in a row to finish the season.

Smith is considered a candidate for the full-time position, although Penn State has been looking at several other candidates. Smith hasn't been a college football head coach before this season.

The Nittany Lions had one of the most disappointing seasons in college football, after being considered a contender for the national championship at the beginning of the campaign. Franklin already found another job for 2026, as Virginia Tech's next head coach.

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Penn State is still looking for its next coach

The Nittany Lions are now one of the last power 4 programs to not name a head coach for 2026. On Sunday, three SEC schools announced coaching hires. Those schools are Florida, Auburn and Arkansas, with Lane Kiffin expected to also head to LSU.

That leaves Penn State as arguably the most high-profile job left on the board at the present time. Smith has made a strong case for himself, after closing the season with wins over Michigan State, Nebraska, and Rutgers. Penn State also came close to defeating Indiana.

Smith had been a long-time assistant at Penn State, before becoming the interim coach. He joined the program in 2014, with Franklin. He had also been an assistant at Temple.

Time will tell who takes the full-time job in State College. Penn State football also waits to hear its bowl opponent for the 2025 season.