This is a list of seasons completed by the Penn State Nittany Lions football team of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). Since the team's creation in 1887, the Nittany Lions have participated in 1,368 officially sanctioned games, including 52 bowl games. [1] [2] For most of its existence, Penn State competed as an independent. In 1993, Penn State joined the Big Ten Conference, where it has been a member ever since.
Year | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent(1881–1890) | |||||||||
1881 | No coach | 1–0 | |||||||
1882–86 | No team | ||||||||
1887 | No coach | 2–0 | |||||||
1888 | No coach | 0–2–1 | |||||||
1889 | No coach | 2–2 | |||||||
1890 | No coach | 2–2 | |||||||
PIFA (1891) | |||||||||
1891 | No coach | 6–2 | 4–1 | 1st | |||||
George W. Hoskins (Independent)(1892–1895) | |||||||||
1892 | George W. Hoskins | 5–1 | |||||||
1893 | George W. Hoskins | 4–1 | |||||||
1894 | George W. Hoskins | 6–0–1 | |||||||
1895 | George W. Hoskins | 2–2–3 | |||||||
Samuel B. Newton (Independent)(1896–1898) | |||||||||
1896 | Samuel B. Newton | 3–4 | |||||||
1897 | Samuel B. Newton | 3–6 | |||||||
1898 | Samuel B. Newton | 6–4 | |||||||
Sam Boyle (Independent)(1899) | |||||||||
1899 | Sam Boyle | 4–6–1 | |||||||
Pop Golden (Independent)(1900–1902) | |||||||||
1900 | Pop Golden | 4–6–1 | |||||||
1901 | Pop Golden | 5–3 | |||||||
1902 | Pop Golden | 7–3 | |||||||
Daniel A. Reed (Independent)(1903) | |||||||||
1903 | Daniel A. Reed | 5–3 | |||||||
Tom Fennell (Independent)(1904–1908) | |||||||||
1904 | Tom Fennell | 6–4 | |||||||
1905 | Tom Fennell | 8–3 | |||||||
1906 | Tom Fennell | 8–1–1 | |||||||
1907 | Tom Fennell | 6–4 | |||||||
1908 | Tom Fennell | 5–5 | |||||||
Bill Hollenback (Independent)(1909) | |||||||||
1909 | Bill Hollenback | 5–0–2 | |||||||
Jack Hollenback (Independent)(1910) | |||||||||
1910 | Jack Hollenback | 5–2–1 | |||||||
Bill Hollenback(Independent)(1911–1914) | |||||||||
1911 | Bill Hollenback | 8–0–1 | |||||||
1912 | Bill Hollenback | 8–0 | |||||||
1913 | Bill Hollenback | 2–6 | |||||||
1914 | Bill Hollenback | 5–3–1 | |||||||
Dick Harlow (Independent)(1915–1917) | |||||||||
1915 | Dick Harlow | 7–2 | |||||||
1916 | Dick Harlow | 8–2 | |||||||
1917 | Dick Harlow | 5–4 | |||||||
Hugo Bezdek (Independent)(1918–1929) | |||||||||
1918 | Hugo Bezdek | 1–2–1 | |||||||
1919 | Hugo Bezdek | 7–1 | |||||||
1920 | Hugo Bezdek | 7–0–2 | |||||||
1921 | Hugo Bezdek | 8–0–2 | |||||||
1922 | Hugo Bezdek | 6–4–1 | L Rose | ||||||
1923 | Hugo Bezdek | 6–2–1 | |||||||
1924 | Hugo Bezdek | 6–3–1 | |||||||
1925 | Hugo Bezdek | 4–4–1 | |||||||
1926 | Hugo Bezdek | 5–4 | |||||||
1927 | Hugo Bezdek | 6–2–1 | |||||||
1928 | Hugo Bezdek | 3–5–1 | |||||||
1929 | Hugo Bezdek | 6–3 | |||||||
Bob Higgins (Independent)(1930–1948) | |||||||||
1930 | Bob Higgins | 3–4–2 | |||||||
1931 | Bob Higgins | 2–8 | |||||||
1932 | Bob Higgins | 2–5 | |||||||
1933 | Bob Higgins | 3–3–1 | |||||||
1934 | Bob Higgins | 4–4 | |||||||
1935 | Bob Higgins | 4–4 | |||||||
1936 | Bob Higgins | 3–5 | |||||||
1937 | Bob Higgins | 5–3 | |||||||
1938 | Bob Higgins | 3–4–1 | |||||||
1939 | Bob Higgins | 5–1–2 | |||||||
1940 | Bob Higgins | 6–1–1 | |||||||
1941 | Bob Higgins | 7–2 | |||||||
1942 | Bob Higgins | 6–1–1 | 19 | ||||||
1943 | Bob Higgins | 5–3–1 | |||||||
1944 | Bob Higgins | 6–3 | |||||||
1945 | Bob Higgins | 5–3 | |||||||
1946 | Bob Higgins | 6–2 | |||||||
1947 | Bob Higgins | 9–0–1 | T Cotton | 4 | |||||
1948 | Bob Higgins | 7–1–1 | 18 | ||||||
Joe Bedenk (Independent)(1949) | |||||||||
1949 | Joe Bedenk | 5–4 | |||||||
Rip Engle (Independent)(1950–1965) | |||||||||
1950 | Rip Engle | 5–3–1 | |||||||
1951 | Rip Engle | 5–4 | |||||||
1952 | Rip Engle | 7–2–1 | |||||||
1953 | Rip Engle | 6–3 | |||||||
1954 | Rip Engle | 7–2 | 16 | 20 | |||||
1955 | Rip Engle | 5–4 | |||||||
1956 | Rip Engle | 6–2–1 | |||||||
1957 | Rip Engle | 6–3 | |||||||
1958 | Rip Engle | 6–3–1 | |||||||
1959 | Rip Engle | 9–2 | W Liberty | 10 | 12 | ||||
1960 | Rip Engle | 7–3 | W Liberty | 16 | |||||
1961 | Rip Engle | 8–3 | W Gator | 19 | 17 | ||||
1962 | Rip Engle | 9–2 | L Gator | 9 | 9 | ||||
1963 | Rip Engle | 7–3 | 16 | ||||||
1964 | Rip Engle | 6–4 | 14 | ||||||
1965 | Rip Engle | 5–5 | |||||||
Joe Paterno (Independent)(1966–1992) | |||||||||
1966 | Joe Paterno | 5–5 | |||||||
1967 | Joe Paterno | 8–2–1 | T Gator | 11 | 10 | ||||
1968 | Joe Paterno | 11–0 | W Orange | 3 | 2 | ||||
1969 | Joe Paterno | 11–0 | W Orange | 2 | 2 | ||||
1970 | Joe Paterno | 7–3 | 19 | 18 | |||||
1971 | Joe Paterno | 11–1 | W Cotton | 11 | 5 | ||||
1972 | Joe Paterno | 10–2 | L Sugar | 8 | 10 | ||||
1973 | Joe Paterno | 12–0 | W Orange | 5 | 5 | ||||
1974 | Joe Paterno | 10–2 | W Cotton | 7 | 7 | ||||
1975 | Joe Paterno | 9–3 | L Sugar | 10 | 10 | ||||
1976 | Joe Paterno | 7–5 | L Gator | ||||||
1977 | Joe Paterno | 11–1 | W Fiesta | 4 | 5 | ||||
1978 | Joe Paterno | 11–1 | L Sugar | 4 | 4 | ||||
1979 | Joe Paterno | 8–4 | W Liberty | 18 | 20 | ||||
1980 | Joe Paterno | 10–2 | W Fiesta | 8 | 8 | ||||
1981 | Joe Paterno | 10–2 | W Fiesta | 3 | 3 | ||||
1982 | Joe Paterno | 11–1 | W Sugar | 1 | 1 | ||||
1983 | Joe Paterno | 8–4–1 | W Aloha | 17 | |||||
1984 | Joe Paterno | 6–5 | |||||||
1985 | Joe Paterno | 11–1 | L Orange | 3 | 3 | ||||
1986 | Joe Paterno | 12–0 | W Fiesta | 1 | 1 | ||||
1987 | Joe Paterno | 8–4 | L Florida Citrus | ||||||
1988 | Joe Paterno | 5–6 | |||||||
1989 | Joe Paterno | 8–3–1 | W Holiday | 14 | 15 | ||||
1990 | Joe Paterno | 9–3 | L Blockbuster | 10 | 11 | ||||
1991 | Joe Paterno | 11–2 | W Fiesta | 3 | 3 | ||||
1992 | Joe Paterno | 7–5 | L Blockbuster † | 24 | |||||
Joe Paterno(Big Ten Conference)(1993–2011) | |||||||||
1993 | Joe Paterno | 10–2 | 6–2 | 3rd | W Florida Citrus | 7 | 8 | ||
1994 | Joe Paterno | 12–0 | 8–0 | 1st | W Rose | 2 | 2 | ||
1995 | Joe Paterno | 9–3 | 5–3 | T–3rd | W Outback | 12 | 13 | ||
1996 | Joe Paterno | 11–2 | 6–2 | T–3rd | W Fiesta † | 7 | 7 | ||
1997 | Joe Paterno | 9–3 | 6–2 | T–2nd | L Florida Citrus | 17 | 16 | ||
1998 | Joe Paterno | 9–3 | 5–3 | 5th | W Outback | 15 | 17 | ||
1999 | Joe Paterno | 10–3 | 5–3 | T–4th | W Alamo | 11 | 11 | ||
2000 | Joe Paterno | 5–7 | 4–4 | T–6th | |||||
2001 | Joe Paterno | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–4th | |||||
2002 | Joe Paterno | 9–4 | 5–3 | 4th | L Capital One | 15 | 16 | ||
2003 | Joe Paterno | 3–9 | 1–7 | T–8th | |||||
2004 | Joe Paterno | 4–7 | 2–6 | 9th | |||||
2005 | Joe Paterno | 11–1 | 7–1 | T–1st | W Orange † | 3 | 3 | ||
2006 | Joe Paterno | 9–4 | 5–3 | T–4th | W Outback | 25 | 24 | ||
2007 | Joe Paterno | 9–4 | 4–4 | T–5th | W Alamo | 25 | |||
2008 | Joe Paterno | 11–2 | 7–1 | T–1st | L Rose † | 8 | 8 | ||
2009 | Joe Paterno | 11–2 | 6–2 | T–2nd | W Capital One | 8 | 9 | ||
2010 | Joe Paterno | 7–6 | 4–4 | T–4th | L Outback | ||||
2011 | Joe Paterno [n 1] | 9–4 [n 1] | 6–2 [n 1] | T–1st (Leaders) | L Ticket City | ||||
Bill O'Brien (Big Ten Conference)(2012–2013) | |||||||||
2012 | Bill O'Brien | 8–4 | 6–2 | 2nd (Leaders) | Ineligible [n 2] | [n 2] | |||
2013 | Bill O'Brien | 7–5 | 4–4 | 3rd (Leaders) | Ineligible [n 2] | [n 2] | |||
James Franklin (Big Ten Conference)(2014–present) | |||||||||
2014 | James Franklin | 7–6 | 2–6 | 6th (East) | W Pinstripe | ||||
2015 | James Franklin | 7–6 | 4–4 | 4th (East) | L TaxSlayer | ||||
2016 | James Franklin | 11–3 | 8–1 | T–1st (East) | L Rose † | 7 | 7 | ||
2017 | James Franklin | 11–2 | 7–2 | T–2nd (East) | W Fiesta † | 8 | 8 | ||
2018 | James Franklin | 9–4 | 6–3 | 3rd (East) | L Citrus | 17 | 17 | ||
2019 | James Franklin | 11–2 | 7–2 | 2nd (East) | W Cotton † | 9 | 9 | ||
2020 | James Franklin | 4–5 | 4–5 | 3rd (East) | |||||
2021 | James Franklin | 7–6 | 4–5 | 4th (East) | L Outback | ||||
2022 | James Franklin | 11–2 | 7–2 | 3rd (East) | W Rose † | 7 | 7 | ||
2023 | James Franklin | 10–3 | 7–2 | 3rd (East) | L Peach † | 13 | 13 | ||
2024 | James Franklin | 13–3 | 8–1 | T–2nd | W CFP First Round † W Fiesta †(CFP Quarterfinal) L Orange †(CFP Semifinal) | 5 | |||
Total: | 943–412–42 | ||||||||
National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
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The Battle for the Land Grant is an American college football rivalry between the Michigan State Spartans and Penn State Nittany Lions. The Land Grant Trophy is presented to the winner of the game. Penn State leads 18–10 since joining the Big Ten. Penn State leads the series 19–18–1, with Penn State winning the most recent matchup in 2023.
Derrick Williams is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Detroit Lions with the 18th pick of the 3rd round of the 2009 NFL draft. He was a wide receiver and 2008 team captain for the Penn State Nittany Lions.
The Penn State Nittany Lions team represents the Pennsylvania State University in college football. The Nittany Lions compete in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference, which they joined in 1993 after playing as an Independent from 1892 to 1992.
The 2006 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2006 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno. It played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.
The 2007 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.
The 2005 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno. It played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.
The 2004 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2004 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno. It played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.
The 2002 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno. It played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.
Thomas Mark Bradley is an American football coach and former collegiate player. He was an assistant coach at Penn State from 1979 to 2011 and served as the interim head coach following Joe Paterno's dismissal due to the Penn State child sex abuse scandal. After leaving Penn State, Bradley was the senior associate head coach of the West Virginia Mountaineers, defensive coordinator for the UCLA Bruins, and defensive backs coach for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Penn State–Pittsburgh football rivalry is a long-standing American college football rivalry between the Penn State Nittany Lions and Pittsburgh Panthers. The game played in 2019 was the 100th edition of the rivalry game. Penn State has not played more games against any other opponent, whereas Pitt has only played more against West Virginia University. After the rivalry resumed in 2016, it was branded "The Keystone Classic" with Peoples Natural Gas as its corporate sponsor. A four-game series between Pitt and Penn State ended in 2019 and there is no future game planned.
The 2007 Valero Alamo Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 29, 2007 in the 65,000-seat Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, and nationally televised by ESPN. The game was one of the 2007–08 NCAA football bowl games that concluded the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. It was the 15th Alamo Bowl and the first Alamo Bowl sponsored by the Valero Energy Corporation.
The 2008 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.
The 2009 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2009 college football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Penn State had the highest graduation rate among all of the teams on the Associated Press Top 25 poll with 89% of its 2002 enrollees graduating. Miami and Alabama tied for second place with a graduation rate of 75%. The Nittany Lions finished the season with an 11–2 record and won the Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy award to the best team in the ECAC for the 28th time and the second consecutive year.
James Geoffrey Franklin is an American football coach and former player. Franklin has served as the head football coach at Pennsylvania State University since 2014 and served in the same position at Vanderbilt University from 2011 to 2013.
The Ohio State–Penn State football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Penn State Nittany Lions. Ohio State leads the series 25–14.
The 2010 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. They were members of the Big Ten Conference. Team captains for the season were wide receiver Brett Brackett and defensive tackle Ollie Ogbu.
The 2011 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2011 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno for the first nine games until he was fired in the wake of the Penn State sex abuse scandal, with defensive coordinator Tom Bradley taking over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. The team played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, US. They were members of the Big Ten Conference in the newly formed Leaders Division. They finished the season 9–4, 6–2 in the Leaders Division to be co–division champions with Wisconsin. Due to their head-to-head loss to Wisconsin, they did not represent the division in the inaugural Big Ten Championship Game. They were invited to the TicketCity Bowl where they lost to Houston 14–30.
The 1974 Orange Bowl was the fortieth edition of the college football bowl game, played at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, on Tuesday, January 1. The final game of the 1973–74 bowl season, it matched the sixth-ranked independent Penn State Nittany Lions and the #13 LSU Tigers of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).
The Michigan–Penn State football rivalry is an American college football game between the Wolverines of the University of Michigan and the Nittany Lions of Pennsylvania State University. Michigan leads the series 17–10.