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Big Ten History Vault
How many national championships has Penn State won?
Key takeaways
- Penn State Nittany Lions football has won 2 national championships: 1982, 1986.
- Title seasons: 1982, 1986.
- Across the Big Ten, Michigan (12), USC (11), Ohio State (9), Minnesota (7), Michigan State (6), Illinois (5), Nebraska (5), Penn State (2), Washington (2), Indiana (1), Iowa (1), Maryland (1), Rutgers (1), UCLA (1) have claimed national titles.
- All-time record in our game log (1888-2026): 933-418-38.
2 National titles
933-418-38 Record 1888-2026
30 of 53 Bowl / playoff wins
1994 (12-0) Best season
40
seasons since Penn State's last national championship 1986 national championship - Finished 12-0.
Every national title, year by year
| Year | Title | The season |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 1982 national championship | Finished 11-1. |
| 1986 | 1986 national championship | Finished 12-0. |
Claimed national championships, per the program's own record book.
Penn State postseason, 1888-2026
| Season | Record | Postseason |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7-6 | Won Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl |
| 2024 | 13-3 | Lost College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl |
| 2023 | 10-3 | Lost Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl |
| 2022 | 11-2 | Won Rose Bowl Game Presented by Prudential |
| 2021 | 7-6 | Lost Outback Bowl |
| 2019 | 11-2 | Won GOODYEAR COTTON BOWL CLASSIC |
| 2018 | 9-4 | Lost VRBO CITRUS BOWL |
| 2017 | 11-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 2016 | 11-3 | Lost ROSE BOWL GAME PRES. BY NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL |
| 2015 | 7-6 | Lost TAXSLAYER BOWL |
| 2014 | 7-6 | Won NEW ERA PINSTRIPE BOWL |
| 2011 | 9-4 | Lost TICKETCITY BOWL |
| 2010 | 7-6 | Lost OUTBACK BOWL |
| 2009 | 11-2 | Won CAPITAL ONE BOWL |
| 2008 | 11-2 | Lost THE ROSE BOWL GAME PRESENTED BY CITI |
| 2007 | 9-4 | Won Bowl game |
| 2006 | 9-4 | Won OUTBACK BOWL AT TAMPA FL |
| 2005 | 11-1 | Won FedEx Orange Bowl |
| 2002 | 9-4 | Lost CAPITAL ONE BOWL |
| 1999 | 10-3 | Won Bowl game |
| 1998 | 9-3 | Won Bowl game |
| 1997 | 9-3 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1996 | 11-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1995 | 9-3 | Won Bowl game |
| 1994 | 12-0 | Won Bowl game |
| 1993 | 10-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1992 | 7-5 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1991 | 11-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1990 | 9-3 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1989 | 8-3-1 | Won Bowl game |
| 1987 | 8-4 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1985 | 11-1 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1983 | 8-4-1 | Won Bowl game |
| 1981 | 10-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1980 | 10-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1979 | 8-4 | Won Bowl game |
| 1978 | 11-1 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1977 | 11-1 | Won Bowl game |
| 1976 | 7-5 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1975 | 9-3 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1974 | 10-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1973 | 12-0 | Won Bowl game |
| 1972 | 10-2 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1971 | 11-1 | Won Bowl game |
| 1969 | 11-0 | Won Bowl game |
| 1968 | 11-0 | Won Bowl game |
| 1967 | 8-2-1 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1962 | 9-2 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1961 | 8-3 | Won Bowl game |
| 1960 | 7-3 | Won Bowl game |
| 1959 | 9-2 | Won Bowl game |
| 1947 | 9-0-1 | Lost Bowl game |
| 1922 | 6-4-1 | Lost Bowl game |
Source: CollegeFootballData game results via the CFB Data Hub.
National titles across the Big Ten
| Team | Titles | Last title |
|---|---|---|
 Michigan Wolverines | 12 | 2023 |
 USC Trojans | 11 | 2004 |
 Ohio State Buckeyes | 9 | 2024 |
 Minnesota Golden Gophers | 7 | 1960 |
 Michigan State Spartans | 6 | 1966 |
 Illinois Fighting Illini | 5 | 1951 |
 Nebraska Cornhuskers | 5 | 1997 |
 Penn State Nittany Lions this page | 2 | 1986 |
 Washington Huskies | 2 | 1991 |
 Indiana Hoosiers | 1 | 2025 |
 Iowa Hawkeyes | 1 | 1958 |
 Maryland Terrapins | 1 | 1953 |
 Rutgers Scarlet Knights | 1 | 1869 |
 UCLA Bruins | 1 | 1954 |
 Northwestern Wildcats | 0 | None yet |
 Oregon Ducks | 0 | None yet |
 Purdue Boilermakers | 0 | None yet |
 Wisconsin Badgers | 0 | None yet |
Current Big Ten members, claimed national championships.
Where Penn State sits in the Big Ten
Current Big Ten programs have claimed 64 national titles between them: 12 for Michigan, 11 for USC, nine for Ohio State, seven for Minnesota, six for Michigan State, five for Illinois, five for Nebraska, two for Penn State, two for Washington, one for Indiana, one for Iowa, one for Maryland, one for Rutgers and one for UCLA. The other four programs are still chasing a first. See how this season is shaping up on the Big Ten standings, or browse every season on the Penn State record by year page.
Editorial note
College football crowned national champions by polls and selectors before the BCS (1998) and the College Football Playoff (2014). The titles here are the ones each program claims in its own record book.
Penn State Nittany Lions football has won 2 national championships: 1982, 1986.
About the author and reviewer
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Frequently asked questions
How many national championships has Penn State won?
2. 1982 national championship, 1986 national championship.
When did Penn State win its first national championship?
In 1982. Finished 11-1.
When did Penn State last win a national championship?
In 1986. Finished 12-0.