# List of Penn State Nittany Lions football seasons

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. 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.

## Seasons

| 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 | 9–4 | 6–2 | 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 | | |
| 2013 | Bill O'Brien | 7–5 | 4–4 | 3rd (Leaders) | Ineligible | | |
| 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 | 5 |
| Total: | Total: | 943–412–42 | | | | | |
| National championship  Conference title  Conference division title or championship game berth ||||||||
| $^†$Indicates Bowl Coalition, Bowl Alliance, BCS, or CFP / New Years' Six bowl. $^#$Rankings from final Coaches Poll. ||||||||