1977 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

1977 Penn State Nittany Lions football
Eastern champion
Fiesta Bowl champion
Fiesta Bowl, W 42–30 vs. Arizona State
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 4
APNo. 5
Record11–1
Head coach
Offensive schemeI formation
Defensive coordinatorJerry Sandusky (1st season)
Base defense4–3
Captains
Home stadiumBeaver Stadium
Seasons
← 1976
1978 →
1977 NCAA Division I independents football records
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Notre Dame       11 1 0
No. 5 Penn State       11 1 0
Colgate       10 1 0
North Texas State *       10 1 0
No. 16 San Diego State       10 1 0
Tennessee State       8 1 1
No. 14 Florida State       10 2 0
No. 8 Pittsburgh       9 2 1
East Carolina       8 3 0
Rutgers       8 3 0
Army       7 4 0
Louisville       7 4 1
Boston College       6 5 0
Cincinnati       5 4 2
Georgia Tech       6 5 0
Memphis State       6 5 0
Northwestern State       6 5 0
Syracuse       6 5 0
William & Mary       6 5 0
Southern Miss       6 5 0
Temple       5 5 1
Hawaii       5 6 0
Navy       5 6 0
West Virginia       5 6 0
South Carolina       5 7 0
Utah State       4 7 0
Villanova       4 7 0
Illinois State       3 7 1
Virginia Tech       3 7 1
Miami (FL)       3 8 0
Richmond       3 8 0
Tulane       3 8 0
Air Force       2 8 1
Holy Cross       2 8 0
Northeast Louisiana       2 9 0
  • North Texas State (originally 9–2) awarded a forfeit win after Mississippi State was found to be using an ineligible player.[1]
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1977 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. The team was coached by Joe Paterno and played its home games in Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.