Teams / Big Ten / Penn State
Index · this season
74
▼ Below its 5-year level -12▼ Down 7 this season
Career76since 1936
Peak961994
Last 586seasons
#33 nationally · 3-3 (0-3 conf)
Résumé #72 · better than its record
Schedule so far #33
Margin ±5 pts (tightens with games)
Penn State Nittany Lions
Big Ten · University Park, PA · Beaver Stadium · Head coach Matt Campbell
Rival
Ohio State · also Michigan State
Heated rivalry
13-27 all time (40 meetings since 1912)
Ohio State leads
Last: lost 38-14 (2025) · Ohio State has won 9 straight
Wants it back
NFL FactoryWinning TraditionAll-American Factory
2national titles
1Heisman
30AP top-10
37All-Americans
258NFL picks
71.0%win pct
History since 1936 · football since 1888. Every season →
Chemistry
49
67Foundation
51Gel
gel counts 50% so far
▼ Below its norm -19Trending up
early · #106 of 138
HC year1
Ret. starters18%
QB yrs w/ OC3
| Season | Record | Conference | AP final | Season rank | Rating | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026in progress | 3-3 | Big Ten | — | #33 | 74 | Matt Campbell |
| 2025 | 7-6 | Big Ten | — | #15 | 80 | Terry Smith; James Franklin |
| 2024 | 13-3 | Big Ten | #5 | #4 | 88 | James Franklin |
| 2023 | 10-3 | Big Ten | #13 | #3 | 93 | James Franklin |
| 2022 | 11-2 | Big Ten | #7 | #6 | 89 | James Franklin |
| 2021 | 7-6 | Big Ten | — | #9 | 81 | James Franklin |
| 2020 | 4-5 | Big Ten | — | #24 | 70 | James Franklin |
| 2019 | 11-2 | Big Ten | #9 | #9 | 85 | James Franklin |
| 2018 | 9-4 | Big Ten | #17 | #16 | 79 | James Franklin |
| 2017 | 11-2 | Big Ten | #8 | #4 | 91 | James Franklin |
| 2016 | 11-3 | Big Ten | #7 | #9 | 83 | James Franklin |
| 2015 | 7-6 | Big Ten | — | #53 | 69 | James Franklin |
| 2014 | 7-6 | Big Ten | — | #53 | 66 | James Franklin |
| 2013 | 7-5 | Big Ten | — | #56 | 68 | Bill O'Brien |
| 2012 | 8-4 | Big Ten | — | #33 | 73 | Bill O'Brien |
| 2011 | 9-4 | Big Ten | — | #41 | 70 | Joe Paterno |
| 2010 | 7-6 | Big Ten | — | #53 | 66 | Joe Paterno |
| 2009 | 11-2 | Big Ten | #9 | #20 | 78 | Joe Paterno |
| 2008 | 11-2 | Big Ten | #8 | #5 | 91 | Joe Paterno |
| 2007 | 9-4 | Big Ten | — | #19 | 77 | Joe Paterno |
| 2006 | 9-4 | Big Ten | #24 | #34 | 73 | Joe Paterno |
| 2005 | 11-1 | Big Ten | #3 | #4 | 89 | Joe Paterno |
| 2004 | 4-7 | Big Ten | — | #46 | 69 | Joe Paterno |
| 2003 | 3-9 | Big Ten | — | #55 | 66 | Joe Paterno |
| 2002 | 9-4 | Big Ten | #10 | #9 | 82 | Joe Paterno |
| 2001 | 5-6 | Big Ten | — | #44 | 71 | Joe Paterno |
| 2000 | 5-7 | Big Ten | — | #61 | 65 | Joe Paterno |
| 1999 | 10-3 | Big Ten | #11 | #6 | 87 | Joe Paterno |
| 1998 | 9-3 | Big Ten | #17 | #13 | 81 | Joe Paterno |
| 1997 | 9-3 | Big Ten | #16 | #20 | 76 | Joe Paterno |
| 1996 | 11-2 | Big Ten | #7 | #11 | 82 | Joe Paterno |
| 1995 | 9-3 | Big Ten | #13 | #10 | 84 | Joe Paterno |
| 1994 | 12-0 | Big Ten | #2 | #1 | 96 | Joe Paterno |
| 1993 | 10-2 | Big Ten | #8 | #13 | 80 | Joe Paterno |
| 1992 | 7-5 | FBS Independents | — | #13 | 79 | Joe Paterno |
| 1991 | 11-2 | FBS Independents | #3 | #5 | 88 | Joe Paterno |
| 1990 | 9-3 | FBS Independents | #11 | #16 | 79 | Joe Paterno |
| 1989 | 8-3-1 | FBS Independents | #15 | #21 | 76 | Joe Paterno |
| 1988 | 5-6 | FBS Independents | — | #29 | 73 | Joe Paterno |
| 1987 | 8-4 | FBS Independents | — | #27 | 72 | Joe Paterno |
| 1986 ★ | 12-0 | FBS Independents | #1 | #3 | 90 | Joe Paterno |
| 1985 | 11-1 | FBS Independents | #3 | #15 | 80 | Joe Paterno |
| 1984 | 6-5 | FBS Independents | — | #45 | 68 | Joe Paterno |
| 1983 | 8-4-1 | FBS Independents | — | #34 | 73 | Joe Paterno |
| 1982 ★ | 11-1 | FBS Independents | #1 | #2 | 91 | Joe Paterno |
| 1981 | 10-2 | FBS Independents | #3 | #1 | 94 | Joe Paterno |
| 1980 | 10-2 | FBS Independents | #8 | #6 | 88 | Joe Paterno |
| 1979 | 8-4 | FBS Independents | #20 | #18 | 79 | Joe Paterno |
| 1978 | 11-1 | FBS Independents | #4 | #8 | 88 | Joe Paterno |
| 1977 | 11-1 | FBS Independents | #5 | #7 | 88 | Joe Paterno |
| 1976 | 7-5 | FBS Independents | — | #22 | 76 | Joe Paterno |
| 1975 | 9-3 | FBS Independents | #10 | #11 | 81 | Joe Paterno |
| 1974 | 10-2 | FBS Independents | #7 | #15 | 79 | Joe Paterno |
| 1973 | 12-0 | FBS Independents | #5 | #8 | 87 | Joe Paterno |
| 1972 | 10-2 | FBS Independents | #10 | #12 | 79 | Joe Paterno |
| 1971 | 11-1 | FBS Independents | #5 | #4 | 89 | Joe Paterno |
| 1970 | 7-3 | FBS Independents | #18 | #28 | 73 | Joe Paterno |
| 1969 | 11-0 | FBS Independents | #2 | #14 | 83 | Joe Paterno |
| 1968 | 11-0 | FBS Independents | #2 | #8 | 83 | Joe Paterno |
| 1967 | 8-2-1 | FBS Independents | #10 | #13 | 80 | Joe Paterno |
| 1966 | 5-5 | FBS Independents | — | #49 | 64 | Joe Paterno |
| 1965 | 5-5 | FBS Independents | — | #23 | 75 | Rip Engle |
| 1964 | 6-4 | FBS Independents | — | #15 | 78 | Rip Engle |
| 1963 | 7-3 | FBS Independents | — | #25 | 76 | Rip Engle |
| 1962 | 9-2 | FBS Independents | #9 | #15 | 78 | Rip Engle |
| 1961 | 8-3 | FBS Independents | #17 | #15 | 77 | Rip Engle |
| 1960 | 7-3 | FBS Independents | #16 | #14 | 79 | Rip Engle |
| 1959 | 9-2 | FBS Independents | #12 | #16 | 76 | Rip Engle |
| 1958 | 6-3-1 | FBS Independents | — | #20 | 73 | Rip Engle |
| 1957 | 6-3 | FBS Independents | — | #44 | 67 | Rip Engle |
| 1956 | 6-2-1 | FBS Independents | — | #22 | 74 | Rip Engle |
| 1955 | 5-4 | FBS Independents | — | #57 | 60 | Rip Engle |
| 1954 | 7-2 | FBS Independents | #20 | #26 | 74 | Rip Engle |
| 1953 | 6-3 | FBS Independents | — | #25 | 74 | Rip Engle |
| 1952 | 7-2-1 | FBS Independents | — | #36 | 69 | Rip Engle |
| 1951 | 5-4 | FBS Independents | — | #57 | 63 | Rip Engle |
| 1950 | 5-3-1 | FBS Independents | — | #70 | 58 | Rip Engle |
| 1949 | 5-4 | FBS Independents | — | #44 | 66 | Joe Bedenk |
| 1948 | 7-1-1 | FBS Independents | #18 | #18 | 76 | Bob Higgins |
| 1947 | 9-0-1 | FBS Independents | #4 | #17 | 77 | Bob Higgins |
| 1946 | 6-2 | FBS Independents | — | #30 | 72 | Bob Higgins |
| 1945 | 5-3 | FBS Independents | — | #33 | 65 | Bob Higgins |
| 1944 | 6-3 | FBS Independents | — | #47 | 58 | Bob Higgins |
| 1943 | 5-3-1 | FBS Independents | — | #30 | 64 | Bob Higgins |
| 1942 | 6-1-1 | FBS Independents | #19 | #47 | 65 | Bob Higgins |
| 1941 | 7-2 | FBS Independents | — | #31 | 71 | Bob Higgins |
| 1940 | 6-1-1 | FBS Independents | — | #50 | 65 | Bob Higgins |
| 1939 | 5-1-2 | FBS Independents | — | #51 | 64 | Bob Higgins |
| 1938 | 3-4-1 | FBS Independents | — | #45 | 67 | Bob Higgins |
| 1937 | 5-3 | FBS Independents | — | #39 | 69 | Bob Higgins |
| 1936 | 3-5 | FBS Independents | — | #63 | 61 | Bob Higgins |
| 1935 | 4-4 | FBS Independents | — | #68 | 57 early | Bob Higgins |
| 1934 | 4-4 | FBS Independents | — | #65 | 58 early | Bob Higgins |
| 1933 | 3-3-1 | FBS Independents | — | #87 | 36 early | Bob Higgins |
| 1932 | 2-5 | FBS Independents | — | #79 | 49 early | Bob Higgins |
| 1931 | 2-8 | FBS Independents | — | #67 | 54 early | Bob Higgins |
| 1930 | 3-4-2 | FBS Independents | — | #69 | 53 early | Bob Higgins |
| 1929 | 6-3 | FBS Independents | — | #37 | 69 early | Hugo Bezdek |
| 1928 | 3-5-1 | FBS Independents | — | #61 | 56 early | Hugo Bezdek |
| 1927 | 6-2-1 | FBS Independents | — | #24 | 73 early | Hugo Bezdek |
| 1926 | 5-4 | FBS Independents | — | #38 | 64 early | Hugo Bezdek |
| 1925 | 4-4-1 | FBS Independents | — | #28 | 70 early | Hugo Bezdek |
| 1924 | 6-3-1 | FBS Independents | — | #26 | 70 early | Hugo Bezdek |
| 1923 | 6-2-1 | FBS Independents | — | #16 | 76 early | Hugo Bezdek |
| 1922 | 6-4-1 | FBS Independents | — | #22 | 73 early | Hugo Bezdek |
| 1921 | 8-0-2 | FBS Independents | — | #13 | 79 early | Hugo Bezdek |
| 1920 | 7-0-2 | FBS Independents | — | #3 | 86 early | Hugo Bezdek |
| 1919 | 7-1 | FBS Independents | — | #1 | 84 early | Hugo Bezdek |
| 1918 | 1-2-1 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | Hugo Bezdek |
| 1917 | 5-4 | FBS Independents | — | #20 | 74 early | Dick Harlow |
| 1916 | 8-2 | FBS Independents | — | #12 | 77 early | Dick Harlow |
| 1915 | 7-2 | FBS Independents | — | #7 | 78 early | Dick Harlow |
| 1914 | 5-3-1 | FBS Independents | — | #14 | 75 early | Bill Hollenback |
| 1913 | 2-6 | FBS Independents | — | #13 | 75 early | Bill Hollenback |
| 1912 | 8-0 | FBS Independents | — | #5 | 82 early | Bill Hollenback |
| 1911 | 8-0-1 | FBS Independents | — | #9 | 78 early | Bill Hollenback |
| 1910 | 5-2-1 | FBS Independents | — | #14 | 73 early | Jack Hollenback |
| 1909 | 5-0-2 | FBS Independents | — | #5 | 80 early | Bill Hollenback |
| 1908 | 5-5 | FBS Independents | — | #6 | 80 early | Tom Fennell |
| 1907 | 6-4 | FBS Independents | — | #8 | 77 early | Tom Fennell |
| 1906 | 8-1-1 | FBS Independents | — | #5 | 81 early | Tom Fennell |
| 1905 | 8-3 | FBS Independents | — | #34 | 58 early | Tom Fennell |
| 1904 | 6-4 | FBS Independents | — | #8 | 77 early | Tom Fennell |
| 1903 | 5-3 | FBS Independents | — | #19 | 66 early | Daniel Reed |
| 1902 | 7-3 | FBS Independents | — | #10 | 77 early | Pop Golden |
| 1901 | 5-3 | FBS Independents | — | #11 | 65 early | Pop Golden |
| 1900 | 4-6-1 | FBS Independents | — | #20 | 48 early | Pop Golden |
| 1899 | 4-6-1 | FBS Independents | — | #13 | 58 early | Sam Boyle |
| 1898 | 6-4 | FBS Independents | — | #8 | 65 early | Samuel Newton |
| 1897 | 3-6 | FBS Independents | — | #8 | 63 early | Samuel Newton |
| 1896 | 3-4 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | Samuel Newton |
| 1895 | 0-1-1 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1894 | 1-0 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1893 | 0-1 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1892 | 1-1 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1891 | 5-2 | Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Football | — | — | — | |
| 1890 | 0-2 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1889 | 2-2 | FBS Independents | — | — | — | |
| 1888 | 0-1 | FBS Independents | — | — | — |
★ = a national title the school claims. Seasons before 1936 (the first AP poll) are the early era: shown in gray and rated on the same yardstick, but the all-time pool and program totals that matter most start in 1936.