![]() ![]() They did have to play a top five USC team in the Rose Bowl in the 2008 season, but that was after they had already won the conference in the regular season. That also means that the Nittany Lions did not have to go through a single top five opponent to win either of their Big Ten Championships under Paterno this century (20). Paterno coached for parts of 12 seasons in the 21st century and failed to record a single top five win. His last win over a top five opponent came in a week one win over Arizona in 1999. Joe Paterno would coach another 25 years following that 1986 campaign, and over those 25 years, compiled a record of just 3-17 against top five teams. It took one of the greatest coaches in the history of the sport nearly two decades to start seeing consistent success against the best of the best.Īfter that though, they once again went cold. They went 8-4 against top five competition during that stretch. That sparked a run that saw them pick up eight wins over top five teams in a six-year span. His third win against a top five team came in 1981, his 16th season as the head man of Penn State Football. Eight of those 13 wins came in the 1980s. His second win against a top five opponent did not come until 1978: his 13th season as the head coach of the Nittany Lions.Īcross 46 seasons and 409 total wins, Joe Paterno put together a record of 13-33 against top five opponents. In his first 10 career games against a top five opponent, Penn State Football compiled a record of just 1-9. In 1966, Joe Paterno began his reign at the helm of Penn State Football–one that would see a lot of highs and lows over the course of four and a half decades.ĭespite many wins early in his tenure, Paterno struggled to defeat the best of the best. ![]() Over the course of 16 seasons, he compiled a 2-8 record against teams ranked in the top five. Nearly three quarters of a century ago, Rip Engle took over as the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions in 1950. They have the rankings and outcomes for each game. NOTE: All of these numbers were compiled by going through each season’s schedule on Sports Reference. It should be noted that playing against a top five team means you’re playing against one of the best teams in the country, so it’s unrealistic to expect to win those games more often than not, regardless of who is in charge. However, it goes back far beyond this current regime, and historically, the Nittany Lions have almost always struggled against top five opponents. By Nick Kreiser 4 months ago Follow Tweetįollowing an embarrassing loss at Michigan, there has been a lot of discussion about the lack of success Penn State Football has had against top five teams. ![]()
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