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Penn State football bowl history: Every bowl game the Nittany Lions have played in

By Josh Yourish

Jan 1, 1983, New Orleans, LA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Todd Blackledge (14) celebrates on the field against the Georgia Bulldogs at the Superdome during the 1983 Sugar Bowl. The Nittany Lions defeated the Bulldogs 27-23 to win the National Championship. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 1983, New Orleans, LA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Todd Blackledge (14) celebrates on the field against the Georgia Bulldogs at the Superdome during the 1983 Sugar Bowl. The Nittany Lions defeated the Bulldogs 27-23 to win the National Championship. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 12, 1991; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach Joe Paterno (right) talks to Miami Hurricanes head coach Dennie Erickson prior to the game at the Orange Bowl. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports /

Orange Bowl (4-1)

1969: Penn State 15 Kansas 14

With No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 USC matched up in the Rose Bowl, 10-0 Penn State had almost no shot at the national championship, but the Nittany Lions were going for their first undefeated season since 1921.

In just his third season as head coach, Joe Paterno led the Nittany Lions to 11-0 and no. 2 in the country.

1970: Penn State 10 Missouri 3

It was the same story a year later. Penn State entered the game on a 21-game win streak at 10-0 and No. 2 in the country but opted to play No. 6 Missouri in the Orange Bowl instead of accepting an invitation to play No. 1 Texas in the Cotton Bowl.

Again Penn State finished undefeated, but again the Nittany Lions missed out on the national title.

1974: Penn State 16 LSU 9

Penn State completed its third undefeated season since 1968 but still did not have a national championship to show for it.

1986: Oklahoma 25 Penn State 10

The Nittany Lions were the only team to finish the regular season without a loss. At 11-0 they were ranked No. 1 and faced No. 3 Oklahoma.

Barry Switzer’s Sooners got out to a 16-10 halftime lead and Brian Bosworth led the Oklahoma defense with 12 tackles to shut out Penn State in the second half.

2006: Penn State 26 Florida State 23

No. 3 Penn State needed three overtimes to beat No. 22 Florida State. The Nittany Lions just missed out on the national championship game because of a midseason loss to unranked Michigan.

It was the eighth and final meeting between Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden.

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