Penn State is bowl eligible. But the Nittany Lions’ future beyond that remains uncertain.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Penn State fans flocked into SHI Stadium on Saturday for their team’s season finale, many repping the school’s blue and white colors as they led “We Are” chants through the stadium’s concourse.

But several of their sweatshirts and signs did not contain the iconic Nittany Lions logo or traditional “We Are” motto. Many were instead etched with “Hire Terry Smith” as Penn State (6-6, 3-6 Big Ten) earned a 40-36 win over Rutgers (5-7, 2-7) to finish the season on a three-game winning streak.

It was a small peek into a game with bowl eligibility on the line where the aftermath seemed bigger than the final score, at least for one side. It showcased the uncertainty surrounding the Nittany Lions’ program — one in search of a new head coach for the first time since 2014.

» READ MORE: A career day from Kaytron Allen helps Penn State rally to beat Rutgers and become bowl eligible

This season Penn State fired its long-time head coach, lost its star quarterback to a season-ending injury and endured a six-game losing streak, but still managed to extend its bowl streak to five seasons. At the forefront of that turnaround was interim head coach Terry Smith, whose passion and honesty galvanized a reeling program.

“Terry’s swag, the way he approaches things, brought the fun back to [the game],” said Kaytron Allen, who rushed for 226 yards and a touchdown against the Scarlet Knights. “I appreciate Coach Terry. I hope he is the next head coach [at Penn State].”

As Allen exited the field, he found athletic director Patrick Kraft, showed him a “Hire Terry Smith” sign and said, “You see this?” Kraft nodded his head, acknowledging not only Allen’s message but also the tough decision that lay ahead of him.

Smith believes the respect he has throughout the program, his ownership of the locker room and his pedigree on the recruiting trail make him the best candidate for the job — a desire he made known in recent weeks. His players agree, specifically Allen and the entire starting offensive line, who again lobbied for Smith to become the program’s next coach following Saturday’s win.

With Early National Signing Day scheduled for Wednesday and a looming transfer portal window, Kraft has to make a decision soon. Who he names 17th head coach in Penn State history holds major implications inside the Lasch Building.

But not for Smith, who remained grounded Saturday. The 56-year-old expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve as head coach at his alma mater, the university he spent four seasons at as a player and 12 more as a coach.

“I’m just thankful we won the game, thankful for these guys that played their hearts out,” Smith said. “We are bowl eligible. The guys really wanted that. I’m looking forward to playing in a bowl game.”

It is not unusual for college football players to opt out of bowl games. And it is especially not atypical for players to do so after a program fires the head coach who recruited them.

That means, despite Penn State securing bowl eligibility Saturday with its sixth victory of the season, it is not a given that the team will participate. And judging by the mixed reaction from its players, they also do not know what the future holds.

“We’re not sure yet. We’ll see what happens,” left guard Olaivavega Ioane said when asked about his desire to play in a bowl game.

“We literally just finished a game. I’m seeing [the media] before I see my Mom, so we’re not sure yet,” center Nick Dawkins said.

» READ MORE: Villanova trounces Harvard in first round of FCS playoffs: ‘The three phases are playing together’

Andrew Rappleyea, Penn State’s tight end who caught a 53-yard touchdown pass to tie the contest in the opening quarter, said he had no idea what the following days or weeks would hold. He wanted to live in the moment and enjoy the victory.

Allen, who Saturday became the first Penn State player to eclipse 4,000 career rushing yards, shared that approach.

“I’m just trying to take this game in, one game at a time,” Allen said. “We just got out of the game, so I’m not thinking about that. We got a win, [and] that’s all that matters.”

Not every Penn State player was indecisive about their bowl game intentions.

Dominic DeLuca, Penn State’s redshirt senior linebacker, fought through tears following the Nittany Lions’ 37-10 victory over Nebraska last weekend as he shared what the program meant to him. He thanked Smith for “putting the pieces back together” and bringing Penn State football back to life.

And on Saturday, his passion for Penn State again showed as he took a different approach than his teammates. Bottom line: If there is a bowl game, DeLuca will be ready to play.

“I would do anything to play one more game with these guys,” DeLuca said. “It’s no question for me. I’ll be playing with [my teammates] no matter what.”