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
1977 NCAA Division I independents football records
Conf.Overall
TeamW L TW 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.
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1977 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented Pennsylvania State University as an independent during the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. Led by 12th-year head coach Joe Paterno, the Nittany Lions compiled a record of 11–1 with a win over Arizona State in the Fiesta Bowl. Penn State played home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.