Coaches: Wins & Losses
Penn State’s All-time Head Coaches Records—
Penn State All-time Overall Won-Loss Record (since 1887): 950-418-42
Coaches-Only All-Time Record (since 1892): 938-410-41
Played at Penn State (*), Assistant at Penn State (%), Athletics Director at PSU (^), Athletic Trainer (+)
Matt Campbell (2026-present): 0-0 Overall, 0-0 Big Ten
Terry Smith*% (Interim 2025): 4-3 Overall, 3-3 Big Ten
James Franklin (2014-2025): 104-45 Overall, 64-36 Big Ten
Bill O’Brien (2012-2013): 15-9 Overall, 10-6 Big Ten
Tom Bradley*% (Interim 2011): 1-3 Overall, 1-2 Big Ten
Joe Paterno %^ (1966-2011)—CHOF 2007—409-136-3 Overall, 95-54-0 Big Ten
Rip Engle (1950-1965)—CHOF 1973—104-48-4 Overall
Joe Bedenk*% (1949)—5-4-0
Bob Higgins*% (1930-1948)—CHOF 1954—91-57-11 Overall
Hugo Bezdek ^ (1918-1929)—CHOF 1954—65-30-11 Overall
Dick Harlow*% (1915-1917)—CHOF 1954—20-8-0 Overall
Bill Hollenback (1909, 1911-1914)—CHOF 1951—28-9-4 Overall
Jack Hollenback (1910)—5-2-1
Tom Fennell (1904-1908)—First Full-time Coach—33-17-1 Overall
Dan Reed (1903)—5-3-0
Pop Golden + (1900-1902)—16-12-1 Overall (includes 1 win by forfeit)
Sam Boyle (1899)—4-6-1
Samuel Newton + (1896-1898)—12-14-0 Overall
George Hoskins*+ (1892-1895)—Player/Coach—17-4-4 Overall
Penn State Record Without a Head Coach (1887-1891)—12-8-1 Overall in 5 seasons (4-1 in PIFA in 1891—includes 1 win by forfeit)
NOTES: PSU’s all-time won-loss record includes 2 victories that were outright forfeit wins for Penn State (1891 vs. Dickinson at Altoona 2-0 & 1900 vs. Bucknell at Williamsport 6-0—Dickinson reportedly did not show up for its game & Bucknell walked off the field after a disputed ruling on the legality of a play with State trailing 12-5)—Also, the all-time record carries 2 games that were PSU losses on the field, but had the results reversed when the opponent later vacated its win due to use of ineligible players or other rules violations (1972 Sugar Bowl loss vs. Oklahoma 14-0 & 2010 loss at Ohio State 38-14—Penn State has always recognized these games as losses—Paterno’s 409 victories do not include any forfeits/vacated results)—Additionally, the 1912 Penn State 37-0 win at Ohio State is sometimes listed as a 1-0 forfeit win for the Nittany Lions (OSU reportedly walked off the field with 9 minutes to play in a game that was marked by physically rough play—Penn State typically recognizes the winning result of the game and not the forfeit result which PSU still acknowledges in the media guide)
LINK HERE TO HISTORY/CHAMPIONSHIPS WON BY PENN STATE
All-Time Post-Season/Bowl Coaching Records
NY6 record based on current bowl alignment regardless of when game was historically played
Matt Campbell (2026-present): TBD
Terry Smith (Interim 2025): 1-0 in bowl
James Franklin (2014-2025): 5-6 in bowls (4-3 in NY6 Bowls/1-1 in CFP Bowls) / 7-7 overall in post-season (1-1 in Big Ten Championships/2-1 overall in CFP Games)—Best Bowl record: 2-0 in Fiesta
Tom Bradley (Interim 2011): 0-1 in bowl
Joe Paterno (1966-2011): 24-12-1 in bowls (14-5 in NY6-BCS-Major Bowls/1-1 in BCS Bowls)—Best Bowl records: 6-0 in Fiesta/4-1 in Orange
Rip Engle (1950-1965): 3-1 in bowls—Best Bowl record: 2-0 in Liberty
Bob Higgins (1930-1948): 0-0-1 in bowl (NY6-Major) / 1-0-1 overall in post-season (including 1931 Unemployment Charity Game at Franklin Field)
Hugo Bezdek (1918-1929): 0-1 in bowl (NY6-Major)
Penn State in NY6/CFP/BCS/Major Bowls All-time (18-9-1): Fiesta (8-0), Orange (4-2), Cotton (3-0-1), Rose (2-3), Sugar (1-3), & Peach (0-1)
Bowls in which PSU is undefeated: Fiesta (8-0), Cotton (3-0-1), Liberty (3-0), Alamo (2-0), Pinstripe (2-0), Aloha (1-0/defunct), & Holiday (1-0)
Most Wins in a Single Season Overall
13 in 2024—James Franklin (13-3 overall/11-1 regular season)—Franklin also posted 11-win seasons 4 times (2016, 2017, 2019, & 2022)
12 in 1973, 1986, & 1994—all Joe Paterno (all 12-0)—Paterno also posted 11-win seasons on 12 occasions (two were unbeaten at 11-0 in 1968 & 1969)—Paterno’s final 11-win season was in 2009 (11-2)
NOTE: Prior to Paterno, PSU had only 3 seasons in which it reached 9 wins—1947 (9-0-1), 1959 (9-2), & 1962 (9-2)—1947 team came closest to becoming Penn State’s first 10-game winner (tying the 1948 Cotton Bowl with SMU 13-13)
Most Wins in a Single Big Ten Season
8 in 1994—Joe Paterno (8-0)—PSU’s lone unbeaten Big Ten season (Paterno was also 7-1 in 2005 & 2008)
8 in 2016—James Franklin (8-1)—Also won Big Ten Championship Game
8 in 2024—James Franklin (8-1)—Also lost Big Ten Championship Game
Franklin was also 7-2 in 4 Big Ten seasons (2017, 2019, 2022, & 2023)
Most Wins Over #1 Ranked Opponents
4 wins—Joe Paterno (4-9 overall vs. #1’s/0-3 Big Ten)—Victories over #1’s: 1981 at Pitt, 1983 Sugar Bowl vs. Georgia, 1987 Fiesta Bowl vs. Miami, and 1990 at Notre Dame—Paterno is tied for 2nd all-time behind Nick Saban (9 wins)
No other PSU coach has beaten a #1 ranked opponent
National Championships by Coach
Joe Paterno (1966-2011): 2 Consensus Championships (1982 & 1986), 5 NCAA-Recognized Championships (1969, 1981, 1982, 1986, & 1994)—Paterno was 4-2 in Major Bowls where PSU was ranked either #1 or #2 entering game
Bill Hollenback (1909, 1911-1914): 2 NCAA-Recognized Championships (1911 & 1912)
Big Ten Championships by Coach
James Franklin (2014-2025): 1 Championship (2016) / 1-1 in Big Ten Championship Games (Won 2016 & Lost 2024)—Franklin also won 6 Lambert Trophies (Best in the East)
Joe Paterno (1966-2011): 3 Championships (1994-Outright, 2005-Shared, & 2008-Shared)—Paterno also won record 24 Lambert Trophies (Best in the East)
Nittany Notes:
30+ Game Unbeaten Streaks—
1967-1970 Joe Paterno (30-0-1)—Began week 4 of ‘67 season with 50-28 win at Boston College & ended week 2 of ‘70 season with 41-13 loss at #18 Colorado—Encompassed two 11-0 seasons in 1968 & 1969—Tie game was in 1967 Gator Bowl vs. Florida State (17-17)—Longest consecutive win stretch was 23 games
1919-1922 Hugo Bezdek (25-0-5)—Began week 4 of 1919 season with 48-7 win over Ursinus & ended week 7 of ‘22 season with 14-0 loss to Navy at American League Park in Washington, DC—12 of the wins were by shutout and three of the ties were scoreless (including 2 vs. Pitt)—Penn State posted its record 109-7 win over Lebanon Valley (1920) during this run—Longest consecutive win stretch was 12 games to begin the streak
Winningest 4-Year Cycles—
43 wins 1971 through 1974—Joe Paterno (43-5)
42 wins 1993 through 1996—Joe Paterno (42-7)
42 wins 2016 through 2019—James Franklin (42-11)
41 wins 1994 through 1997—Joe Paterno (41-8)
41 wins 1972 through 1975—Joe Paterno (41-7)
41 wins 2021 through 2024—James Franklin (41-14)
Back-to-Back Unbeaten Seasons—
1968 (11-0) & 1969 (11-0)—Joe Paterno
1920 (7-0-2) & 1921 (8-0-2)—Hugo Bezdek
1911 (8-0-1) & 1912 (8-0)—Bill Hollenback
Near Misses—1985 (11-1) & 1986 (12-0)—Joe Paterno (loss was to Oklahoma in Orange Bowl), 1947 (9-0-1) & 1948 (7-1-1)—Bob Higgins (late season 7-0 loss at Pitt was spoiler), and 1893 (4-1) & 1894 (6-0-1)—George Hoskins (only 4 of the 12 games were at home/loss was at Penn)
Trivia Note: The only Alabama coach to deliver back-to-back unbeaten seasons was Wallace Wade in 1925 (10-0) & 1926 (9-0-1)—Tie was in Rose Bowl vs. Stanford—Bear Bryant and Nick Saban never did this