Penn State Football National Championships and Big 10 Titles The Heisman Winners

Penn State football has a rich history dating back to 1887 when the school first fielded a team. Since then, Penn State has become one of the most successful programs in college football history. With two national championships under their belt and four Big 10 Football Championships, Penn State has cemented its place in the annals of football history. In this feature, we take a closer look at Penn State’s national championship seasons and Big 10 football championships.

National Championship Seasons

Year	Record	Coach	Postseason
1982	11-1	Joe Paterno	Defeated No. 1 Georgia 27-23 – Todd Blackledge Sugar Bowl MVP
1986	12-0	Joe Paterno	Defeated No. 1 Miami 14-10 – D.J. Dozier & Shane Conlan Fiesta Bowl MVPs

Penn State’s 1982 National Championship Season

In 1982, Joe Paterno led Penn State to their first national championship, capping off an impressive 11-1 season. The season started off strong win Joe Paterno’s squad ranked No. 8 an reeling off four straight victories. A 27-24 win over No. 2 Nebraska propelled the Nittany Lions to a No. 3 national ranking.

Hopes for an undefeated season came to a crashing halt the next week when Penn State stumbled along the way with 21-42 loss at Alabama. The loss dropped the program down to the a No. 8 ranking and the Nittany Lions would have to run the table to get back into national championship contention.

The road to redemption included shutout wins over West Virginia and North Carolina State. With the season finale against Dan Marino led No. 5 Pittsburgh looming, the Penn State nation realized that that a win was vital if they were going to have a chance to fulfill their championship dreams. The Nittany Lions did not disappoint the 85,522 faithful at Beaver Stadium as the home team secured its sixth straight win and an 10-1 regular season record with a 19-10 victory.

The win over the Panthers positioned Penn State for a Sugar Bowl match up against Georgia and a chance for a national championship.

Along with the Nittany Lion football team making headlines, quarterback Todd Blackledge received accolades as well. Blackledge was named the Davey O’Brien Award winner.

Warner Outshines Walker as Penn State Captures Sweet Sugar Bowl Win

Penn State’s 27-23 win at the 1982 Sugar Bowl against the undefeated Georgia Bulldogs remains a classic moment in the history of college football. On that New Year’s Day, the Nittany Lions emerged victorious from the battle against the Bulldogs, earning their very first undisputed national championship.

The Sugar Bowl matchup proved to be an intense battle between two of the best teams that season. Penn State’s offense rose to the occasion as Curt Warner rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. Todd Blackledge also shone, completing 13 of 23 passes for 228 yards and one touchdown. The Nittany Lions’ defense was just as impressive, holding Heisman winner Hershel Walker to just 103 yards on 28 carries, including only 32 yards in the second half.

Penn State 1982 National Championship Facts

Starting QB – Todd Blackledge completed 161 of 292 passes for 2,281 yards and a 22/14 TD/INT ratio. Blackledge was selected No. 7 overall in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.

Leading Rusher – Curt Warner rushed for 1,041 yards and 8 TDs on 198 carries. Warner also garnered 335 yards receiving and an additional 5 scores. Warner was selected No. 3 overall in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks.

Top Receiver – Kenny Jackson led the squad with 697 yards and 7 TDs on 41 receptions.

Penn State’s 1986 National Championship Season

In 1986, Penn State returned to the national stage and claimed their second national championship title. The Nittany Lions had a perfect 12-0 season and defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 14-10, in the Fiesta Bowl to claim the title. They raised their game with an impressive mid-season victory over No. 2-ranked Alabama. Defensively, Penn State was outstanding all season, thanks in part to the performance of two stars, LB Shane Conlan and D.J. Dozier. Both players were Consensus First-team All Americans in 1986 and were later drafted in the first round of the 1987 NFL Draft.

Fiesta Bowl Featured Good vs Evil

In the world of college football, upsets are not uncommon, but there are only a few victories that stand out as the greatest upsets of all time. The 1987 Fiesta Bowl between Miami and Penn State is certainly one such victory. This game was not only about football, it was about good versus evil. Miami was considered the evil team due to their swagger and bravado, while Penn State was the good team that played with heart and determination. In this blog post, we will revisit one of the most historic games in college football history, the 1987 Fiesta Bowl, where Penn State pulled off an epic 14-10 win over Miami.

The matchup was an epic clash between two unbeaten teams with vastly different styles of play. Miami was the highest-scoring team in the country, led by Heisman Trophy winner Vinny Testaverde, while Penn State boasted one of the nation’s best defenses. Everyone expected Miami to dominate, but Penn State showed up with a plan to shock the world.

Penn State’s defense was the key to their victory. The Nittany Lions held Miami to just 10 points, the lowest offensive output for the Hurricanes all season. The game was tied 7-7 at halftime, and Miami took a 10-7 lead in the third quarter. But Penn State’s defense dug deep and refused to allow Miami to score again. In the fourth quarter, quarterback John Shaffer led the Nittany Lions on a 68-yard drive that culminated in a touchdown run by D.J. Dozier to give Penn State a 14-10 lead. The defense then held Miami at bay for the remainder of the game, securing the upset victory for Penn State.

Penn State 1986 National Championship Facts

Starting Quarterback – John Shaffer completed 114 of 204 passes for 1,510 yards and a 9/4, TD/INT ratio.

Leading Rusher – D.J. Doizer led the Nittany Lions ground game while amassing 811 yards rushing and 10 TDs on 171 carries. Dozier also scored 2 TDs in the air while accumulating 287 yards receiving on 26 receptions.

Top Receiver – Eric Hamilton caught only 19 passes but converted them into 387 yards and 4 TDs.

1987 NFL Draft – 13 Penn State players were selected including LB Shane Conlan (No. 8 overall) by the Buffalo Bills and RB D.J. Dozier (No. 14 overall) by the Minnesota Vikings.

Penn State’s Big 10 Football Championships

Penn State’s success continued after joining the Big 10 Conference in 1993, which yielded not one, but four Big 10 championships. The 1994 and 2016 championships were outright titles, while the 2005 and 2008 championships were shared with other teams. Penn State won its 1994 Big Ten Championship after a win against Michigan in the final weeks of the season.

In 2005 and 2008, the Nittany Lions shared the Big 10 Championship with Ohio State. Penn State’s 2016 Big 10 Championship was impressive, as the Nittany Lions were able to win the title despite starting the season with a 2-2 record.

Year	Record	Coach	Final Record – Bowl Result
1994	12-0	Joe Paterno	No. 2 – Defeated Oregon 38-20 in the Rose Bowl
2005	10-2 Shared with Ohio State	Joe Paterno	No. 3 – Defeated FSU 26-23 (3 OT) in the Orange Bowl
2008	11-2 Shared with Ohio State	Joe Paterno	No. 8 – Lost 24-38 to USC in the Rose Bowl
2016	11-3	James Franklin	No. 7 – Lost 49-52 to USC in the Rose Bowl