The Penn State Nittany Lions football have competed in 53 bowl games compiling a record of 31–20–2 (.608). The Nittany Lions hold a 17–8–1 record in the major bowls (Rose , Orange , Sugar , Fiesta , Peach , and Cotton ).
Coach Joe Paterno was responsible for most of these bids and victories, compiling more wins, 24, and appearances, 37, than any other coach in college football history, with a bowl record of 24–12–1 (.662). Paterno also had a record of 13–4–0 in "major" bowls. Paterno is one of only two coaches in history to have competed in and won all five major bowls with the other being Bob Stoops at Oklahoma.
Key
Results
W
Win
L
Loss
T
Tie
Bowl games
List of bowl games showing bowl played in, score, date, season, opponent, stadium, location, attendance and head coach[ A 1]
#
Bowl
Score[ A 2]
Date
Season[ A 3]
Opponent[ A 4]
Stadium
Location
Attendance
Head coach
1
Rose Bowl
L 14–3
January 1, 1923
1922
USC Trojans
Rose Bowl
Pasadena
43,000
Hugo Bezdek
2
Cotton Bowl Classic
T 13–13
January 1, 1948
1947
SMU Mustangs
Cotton Bowl
Dallas
47,000
Bob Higgins
3
Liberty Bowl
W 7–0
December 19, 1959
1959
Alabama Crimson Tide
Philadelphia Municipal Stadium
Philadelphia
36,211
Rip Engle
4
Liberty Bowl
W 41–12
December 20, 1960
1960
Oregon Webfoots
Philadelphia Municipal Stadium
Philadelphia
16,624
Rip Engle
5
Gator Bowl
W 30–15
December 30, 1961
1961
Georgia Tech Yellowjackets
Gator Bowl Stadium
Jacksonville
50,202
Rip Engle
6
Gator Bowl
L 17–7
December 29, 1962
1962
Florida Gators
Gator Bowl Stadium
Jacksonville
50,026
Rip Engle
7
Gator Bowl
T 17–17
December 30, 1967
1967
Florida State Seminoles
Gator Bowl Stadium
Jacksonville
68,019
Joe Paterno
8
Orange Bowl
W 15–14
January 1, 1969
1968
Kansas Jayhawks
Orange Bowl
Miami
77,719
Joe Paterno
9
Orange Bowl
W 10–3
January 1, 1970
1969
Missouri Tigers
Orange Bowl
Miami
77,282
Joe Paterno
10
Cotton Bowl Classic
W 30–6
January 1, 1972
1971
Texas Longhorns
Cotton Bowl
Dallas
70,000
Joe Paterno
11
Sugar Bowl
L 14–0
December 31, 1972
1972
Oklahoma Sooners
Tulane Stadium
New Orleans
80,123
Joe Paterno
12
Orange Bowl
W 16–9
January 1, 1974
1973
LSU Tigers
Orange Bowl
Miami
60,477
Joe Paterno
13
Cotton Bowl Classic
W 41–20
January 1, 1975
1974
Baylor Bears
Cotton Bowl
Dallas
68,500
Joe Paterno
14
Sugar Bowl
L 13–6
December 31, 1975
1975
Alabama Crimson Tide
Louisiana Superdome
New Orleans
75,212
Joe Paterno
15
Gator Bowl
L 20–9
December 27, 1976
1976
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Gator Bowl Stadium
Jacksonville
67,827
Joe Paterno
16
Fiesta Bowl
W 42–30
December 25, 1977
1977
Arizona State Sun Devils
Sun Devil Stadium
Tempe
57,727
Joe Paterno
17
Sugar Bowl
L 14–7
January 1, 1979
1978
Alabama Crimson Tide
Louisiana Superdome
New Orleans
76,824
Joe Paterno
18
Liberty Bowl
W 9–6
December 22, 1979
1979
Tulane Green Wave
Liberty Bowl
Memphis
50,021
Joe Paterno
19
Fiesta Bowl
W 31–19
December 26, 1980
1980
Ohio State Buckeyes
Sun Devil Stadium
Tempe
66,738
Joe Paterno
20
Fiesta Bowl
W 26–10
January 1, 1982
1981
USC Trojans
Sun Devil Stadium
Tempe
71,053
Joe Paterno
21
Sugar Bowl
W 27–23
January 1, 1983
1982
Georgia Bulldogs
Louisiana Superdome
New Orleans
78,127
Joe Paterno
22
Aloha Bowl
W 13–10
December 26, 1983
1983
Washington Huskies
Aloha Stadium
Honolulu
37,212
Joe Paterno
23
Orange Bowl
L 25–10
January 1, 1986
1985
Oklahoma Sooners
Orange Bowl
Miami
74,178
Joe Paterno
24
Fiesta Bowl
W 14–10
January 2, 1987
1986
Miami Hurricanes
Sun Devil Stadium
Tempe
73,098
Joe Paterno
25
Florida Citrus Bowl
L 35–10
January 1, 1988
1987
Clemson Tigers
Florida Citrus Bowl
Orlando
53,152
Joe Paterno
26
Holiday Bowl
W 50–39
December 30, 1989
1989
BYU Cougars
Jack Murphy Stadium
San Diego
61,113
Joe Paterno
27
Blockbuster Bowl
L 24–17
December 28, 1990
1990
Florida State Seminoles
Joe Robbie Stadium
Miami Gardens
74,021
Joe Paterno
28
Fiesta Bowl
W 42–17
January 1, 1992
1991
Tennessee Volunteers
Sun Devil Stadium
Tempe
71,133
Joe Paterno
29
Blockbuster Bowl
L 24–3
January 1, 1993
1992
Stanford Cardinal
Joe Robbie Stadium
Miami Gardens
45,554
Joe Paterno
30
Florida Citrus Bowl
W 31–13
January 1, 1994
1993
Tennessee Volunteers
Florida Citrus Bowl
Orlando
72,456
Joe Paterno
31
Rose Bowl
W 38–20
January 2, 1995
1994
Oregon Ducks
Rose Bowl
Pasadena
102,247
Joe Paterno
32
Outback Bowl
W 43–14
January 1, 1996
1995
Auburn Tigers
Tampa Stadium
Tampa
65,313
Joe Paterno
33
Fiesta Bowl
W 38–15
January 1, 1997
1996
Texas Longhorns
Sun Devil Stadium
Tempe
65,106
Joe Paterno
34
Florida Citrus Bowl
L 21–6
January 1, 1998
1997
Florida Gators
Florida Citrus Bowl
Orlando
72,940
Joe Paterno
35
Outback Bowl
W 26–14
January 1, 1999
1998
Kentucky Wildcats
Raymond James Stadium
Tampa
66,005
Joe Paterno
36
Alamo Bowl
W 24–0
December 28, 1999
1999
Texas A&M Aggies
Alamodome
San Antonio
65,380
Joe Paterno
37
Capital One Bowl
L 13–9
January 1, 2003
2002
Auburn Tigers
Florida Citrus Bowl
Orlando
66,334
Joe Paterno
38
Orange Bowl
W 26–23 3OT
January 3, 2006
2005
Florida State Seminoles
Dolphins Stadium
Miami Gardens
77,912
Joe Paterno
39
Outback Bowl
W 20–10
January 1, 2007
2006
Tennessee Volunteers
Raymond James Stadium
Tampa
65,601
Joe Paterno
40
Alamo Bowl
W 24–17
December 28, 2007
2007
Texas A&M Aggies
Alamodome
San Antonio
66,166
Joe Paterno
41
Rose Bowl
L 38–24
January 1, 2009
2008
USC Trojans
Rose Bowl
Pasadena
93,293
Joe Paterno
42
Capital One Bowl
W 19–17
January 1, 2010
2009
LSU Tigers
Florida Citrus Bowl
Orlando
63,025
Joe Paterno
43
Outback Bowl
L 37–24
January 1, 2011
2010
Florida Gators
Raymond James Stadium
Tampa
60,574
Joe Paterno
44
TicketCity Bowl
L 30–14
January 2, 2012
2011
Houston Cougars
Cotton Bowl
Dallas
46,817
Tom Bradley
45
Pinstripe Bowl
W 31–30 OT
December 27, 2014
2014
Boston College Eagles
Yankee Stadium
Bronx
49,012
James Franklin
46
TaxSlayer Bowl
L 24–17
January 2, 2016
2015
Georgia Bulldogs
EverBank Field
Jacksonville
58,212
James Franklin
47
Rose Bowl
L 49–52
January 2, 2017
2016
USC Trojans
Rose Bowl
Pasadena
95,128
James Franklin
48
Fiesta Bowl
W 35–28
December 30, 2017
2017
Washington Huskies
University of Phoenix Stadium
Glendale
61,842
James Franklin
49
Citrus Bowl
L 24–27
January 1, 2019
2018
Kentucky Wildcats
Camping World Stadium
Orlando
59,167
James Franklin
50
Cotton Bowl Classic
W 53–39
December 28, 2019
2019
Memphis Tigers
AT&T Stadium
Arlington
54,828
James Franklin
51
Outback Bowl
L 10–24
January 1, 2022
2021
Arkansas Razorbacks
Raymond James Stadium
Tampa
46,577
James Franklin
52
Rose Bowl
W 35–21
January 2, 2023
2022
Utah Utes
Rose Bowl
Pasadena
94,873
James Franklin
53
Peach Bowl
L 25–38
December 30, 2023
2023
Ole Miss Rebels
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Atlanta
71,230
James Franklin
Notes
^ Statistics correct as of 2022–23 NCAA football bowl games .
^ Results are sortable first by whether the result was a Penn State win, loss or tie and then second by the margin of victory .
^ Links to the season article for the Penn State team that competed in the bowl for that year.
^ Links to the season article for the opponent that Penn State competed against in the bowl for that year when available or to their general page when unavailable.
References
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons National championship seasons in bold