1966 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

1966 Penn State Nittany Lions football
Conference	Independent
Record	5–5
Head coach	Joe Paterno (1st season)
Offensive scheme	I formation
Defensive coordinator	Jim O'Hora (1st season)
Base defense	4–3
Captains	Mike Irwin John Runnells
Home stadium	Beaver Stadium
Seasons ←  1965 1967  →

1966 NCAA University Division independents football records

v t e	Conf.							Overall
Team	W		L		T			W		L		T
No. 1 Notre Dame		–		–				9	–	0	–	1
Colgate		–		–				8	–	1	–	1
No. 8 Georgia Tech		–		–				9	–	2	–	0
Army		–		–				8	–	2	–	0
Dayton		–		–				8	–	2	–	0
Houston		–		–				8	–	2	–	0
Memphis State		–		–				7	–	2	–	0
No. 9 Miami (FL)		–		–				8	–	2	–	1
Virginia Tech		–		–				8	–	2	–	1
Syracuse		–		–				8	–	3	–	0
Colorado State		–		–				7	–	3	–	0
New Mexico State		–		–				7	–	3	–	0
West Texas State		–		–				7	–	3	–	0
Villanova		–		–				6	–	3	–	0
Holy Cross		–		–				6	–	3	–	1
Southern Miss		–		–				6	–	4	–	0
Texas Western		–		–				6	–	4	–	0
Tulane		–		–				5	–	4	–	1
Florida State		–		–				6	–	5	–	0
Buffalo		–		–				5	–	5	–	0
Penn State		–		–				5	–	5	–	0
Air Force		–		–				4	–	6	–	0
Boston College		–		–				4	–	6	–	0
Navy		–		–				4	–	6	–	0
Utah State		–		–				4	–	6	–	0
Xavier		–		–				4	–	6	–	0
Pacific (CA)		–		–				4	–	7	–	0
San Jose State		–		–				3	–	7	–	0
Pittsburgh		–		–				1	–	9	–	0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1966 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented Penn State University during the 1966 NCAA University Division football season. It was Joe Paterno's first season as head coach of Penn State.

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 17	Maryland	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA (rivalry)		W 15–7	40,911	[1]
September 24	at No. 1 Michigan State	Spartan Stadium East Lansing, MI (rivalry)		L 8–42	64,860	[2]
October 1	at Army	Michie Stadium West Point, NY		L 0–11	18,000	[3]
October 8	Boston College	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA		W 30–21	30,000	[4]
October 15	at No. 4 UCLA	Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles, CA		L 11–49	41,105	[5]
October 22	at West Virginia	Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV (rivalry)		W 38–6	15,835–30,000	[6]
October 29	California	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA		W 33–15	37,000	[7]
November 5	Syracuse	Beaver Stadium University Park, PA (rivalry)	ABC regional	L 10–12	46,314	[8]
November 12	at No. 5 Georgia Tech	Grant Field Atlanta, GA		L 0–21	50,172	[9]
November 19	at Pittsburgh	Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)		W 48–24	30,362	[10]
Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[11]

Game summaries

Maryland

Team	1	2	3	4	Total
Maryland	7	0	0	0	7
• Penn St	11	0	0	4	15

• Date: September 17
• Location: Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pennsylvania
• Game attendance: 40,911

Scoring summary

Q1		MD	Torain 15 yard run (Bramson kick)	MD 7–0
Q1		PSU	Safety, Carlson forced out of end zone	MD 7–2
Q1		PSU	White 2 yard run (pass failed)	PSU 8–7
Q1		PSU	Sherman 23 yard field goal	PSU 11–7
Q4		PSU	Safety, Pastrana tackled in end zone	PSU 13–7
Q4		PSU	Safety, Petry illegal pass from end zone	PSU 15–7

^[12]

Roster

1966 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster
Players			Coaches
Offense Pos. # Name Class OT 73 Dave Bradley So OT 77 Rich Buzin Jr WR 23 Bob Campbell So C 53 Bill Lenkaitis So QB 25 Tom Sherman Jr	Defense Pos. # Name Class DT 79 Mike McBath Jr	Special teams Pos. # Name Class	Head coach Joe Paterno Coordinators/assistant coaches Earl Bruce Freshman coach/Assistant varsity coach Joe McMullen Offensive line Jim O'Hora Defensive line/Overall defense Frank Patrick Defensive backfield/Kickers Bob Phillips Offensive ends Dan Radakovich Linebackers George Welsh Offensive backfield J. T. White Defensive ends Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt

1967 NFL/AFL draft

Three Nittany Lions were drafted in the 1967 NFL/AFL draft.

Round	Pick	Overall	Name	Position	Team
2nd	27	53	Dave Rowe	Defensive tackle	New Orleans Saints
10th	20	257	John Runnells	Linebacker	Boston Patriots
16th	22	415	Mike Irwin	Defensive back, running back	Buffalo Bills

References

1. "Penn State's 'safety blitz' ruins Maryland in opener". The Philadelphia Inquirer. September 18, 1966. Retrieved January 21, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
2. Bob Hoerner (September 25, 1966). "Spartans Give Penn State Grid Lesson". Lansing State Journal. pp. F1, F3 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Army captures third win by upsetting Penn State". San Angelo Standard-Times. October 2, 1966. Retrieved November 2, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
4. "Penn State slips past BC, 30–21". Democrat and Chronicle. October 9, 1966. Retrieved November 2, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
5. "UCLA crushes Lions". The Pittsburgh Press. October 16, 1966. Retrieved November 2, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
6. "Nittany Lions handily defeat Mountaineers, 38–6". Beckley Post-Herald & The Raleigh Register. October 23, 1966. Retrieved January 20, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
7. "Defense refugee jerks Penn State past California". Tulsa World. October 30, 1966. Retrieved November 2, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
8. "Penn State edged". Sunday News. November 6, 1966. Retrieved November 2, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
9. "Ga. Tech notches 9th straight, 21–0". Winston-Salem Journal and Sentinel. November 13, 1966. Retrieved July 24, 2024– via Newspapers.com.
10. "Penn State chalks 27th winning set". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 20, 1966. Retrieved November 2, 2025– via Newspapers.com.
11. "Schedule/Results (1966 Penn State)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association . Retrieved November 2, 2025.
12. "Penn State Trips Terrapins, 15-7." Palm Beach Post. 1966 Sept 18. Retrieved 2014-Jan-14.