Penn State Football: Ranking the top 20 wins in program history
By Brad Weiss
![Grant Haley #15 of the Penn State Nittany Lions (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images) Grant Haley #15 of the Penn State Nittany Lions (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/7c1e19df243d8639950a53ce4db6178e7d73303709b88c5522195ff117e1e85b.jpg)
8. 1972 Cotton Bowl
The Penn State football team took on the University of Texas in the 1972 Cotton Bowl, a game that was certainly a tale of two halves. Penn State was playing in their first Cotton Bowl Classic since 1948 and looked like a legitimate national title contender up until their loss against Tennessee, 31-11 on the road.
The loss ruined the Nittany Lions’ perfect season, but going into the Cotton Bowl, they knew they had a tough task ahead of them. In the first half, it was a defensive struggle, as the Longhorns held a 6-3 halftime lead.
In the second half, it was a different story, as Penn State dominated the Longhorns, scoring 27 unanswered points to beat Texas easily. Led by Bruce Bannon and Lydell Mitchell, who were co-MVPs of the game, Penn State won 30-6, and Mitchell led a ground game that racked up over 230 yards against a tough Texas defense.
The win brought Penn State back to the No. 5 ranking in the country, with the Tennessee loss the only blemish on their record.