The Penn State Nittany Lions football have competed in 56 bowl games compiling a record of 33–21–2 (). The Nittany Lions hold a 18–8–1 () 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 (). 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#BowlScoreDateSeasonOpponentStadiumLocationAttendanceHead coach1Rose Bowl1922USC TrojansRose BowlPasadena43,0002Cotton Bowl Classic1947SMU MustangsCotton BowlDallas47,0003Liberty Bowl1959Alabama Crimson TidePhiladelphia Municipal StadiumPhiladelphia36,2114Liberty Bowl1960Oregon Ducks Philadelphia Municipal StadiumPhiladelphia16,6245Gator Bowl1961Georgia Tech YellowjacketsGator Bowl StadiumJacksonville50,2026Gator Bowl1962Florida GatorsGator Bowl StadiumJacksonville50,0267Gator Bowl1967Florida State SeminolesGator Bowl StadiumJacksonville68,0198Orange Bowl1968Kansas JayhawksOrange BowlMiami77,7199Orange Bowl1969Missouri TigersOrange BowlMiami77,28210Cotton Bowl Classic1971Texas LonghornsCotton BowlDallas70,00011Sugar Bowl1972Oklahoma SoonersTulane StadiumNew Orleans80,12312Orange Bowl1973LSU TigersOrange BowlMiami60,47713Cotton Bowl Classic1974Baylor BearsCotton BowlDallas68,50014Sugar Bowl1975Alabama Crimson TideLouisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans75,21215Gator Bowl1976Notre Dame Fighting IrishGator Bowl StadiumJacksonville67,82716 Fiesta Bowl1977Arizona State Sun DevilsSun Devil StadiumTempe57,72717Sugar Bowl1978Alabama Crimson TideLouisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans76,82418Liberty Bowl1979Tulane Green WaveLiberty BowlMemphis50,02119 Fiesta Bowl1980Ohio State BuckeyesSun Devil StadiumTempe66,73820 Fiesta Bowl1981USC TrojansSun Devil StadiumTempe71,05321Sugar Bowl1982Georgia BulldogsLouisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans78,12722Aloha Bowl1983Washington HuskiesAloha StadiumHonolulu37,21223Orange Bowl1985Oklahoma SoonersOrange BowlMiami74,17824Fiesta Bowl1986Miami HurricanesSun Devil StadiumTempe73,09825Florida Citrus Bowl1987Clemson TigersFlorida Citrus BowlOrlando53,15226Holiday Bowl1989BYU CougarsJack Murphy StadiumSan Diego61,11327Blockbuster Bowl1990Florida State SeminolesJoe Robbie StadiumMiami Gardens74,02128Fiesta Bowl1991Tennessee VolunteersSun Devil StadiumTempe71,13329Blockbuster Bowl1992Stanford CardinalJoe Robbie StadiumMiami Gardens45,55430Florida Citrus Bowl1993Tennessee VolunteersFlorida Citrus BowlOrlando72,45631Rose Bowl1994Oregon DucksRose BowlPasadena102,24732Outback Bowl1995Auburn TigersTampa StadiumTampa65,31333Fiesta Bowl1996Texas LonghornsSun Devil StadiumTempe65,10634Florida Citrus Bowl1997Florida GatorsFlorida Citrus BowlOrlando72,94035Outback Bowl1998Kentucky WildcatsRaymond James StadiumTampa66,00536Alamo Bowl1999Texas A&M AggiesAlamodomeSan Antonio65,38037Capital One Bowl2002Auburn TigersFlorida Citrus BowlOrlando66,33438Orange Bowl2005Florida State SeminolesDolphins StadiumMiami Gardens77,91239Outback Bowl2006Tennessee VolunteersRaymond James StadiumTampa65,60140Alamo Bowl2007Texas A&M AggiesAlamodomeSan Antonio66,16641Rose Bowl2008USC TrojansRose BowlPasadena93,29342Capital One Bowl2009LSU TigersFlorida Citrus BowlOrlando63,02543Outback Bowl2010Florida GatorsRaymond James StadiumTampa60,57444TicketCity Bowl2011Houston CougarsCotton BowlDallas46,817(interim)45Pinstripe Bowl2014Boston College EaglesYankee StadiumBronx49,01246TaxSlayer Bowl2015Georgia BulldogsEverBank FieldJacksonville58,21247Rose Bowl2016USC TrojansRose BowlPasadena95,12848Fiesta Bowl2017Washington HuskiesUniversity of Phoenix StadiumGlendale61,84249Citrus Bowl2018Kentucky WildcatsCamping World StadiumOrlando59,16750Cotton Bowl Classic2019Memphis TigersAT&T StadiumArlington54,82851Outback Bowl2021Arkansas RazorbacksRaymond James StadiumTampa46,57752Rose Bowl 2022Utah UtesRose BowlPasadena94,87353Peach Bowl2023Ole Miss RebelsMercedes-Benz StadiumAtlanta71,23054Fiesta Bowl2024Boise State BroncosState Farm StadiumGlendale63,85455Orange Bowl2024Notre Dame Fighting IrishHard Rock StadiumMiami Gardens66,88156Pinstripe Bowl2025Clemson TigersYankee StadiumBronx41,101(interim)
Notes
References