1986 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

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1986 Penn State Nittany Lions football
Penn State text logo.svg
Consensus national champion
Fiesta Bowl champion
Fiesta Bowl, W 14–10 vs. Miami (FL)
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 1
APNo. 1
1986 record12–0
Head coach
  • Joe Paterno (21st season)
Offensive coordinatorFran Ganter
Defensive coordinatorJerry Sandusky
Home stadiumBeaver Stadium
(Capacity: 83,370)
Seasons
← 1985
1987 →
1986 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
  • v
  • t
 Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Penn State   –   –   12 – 0 – 0
No. 2 Miami (FL)   –   –   11 – 1 – 0
No. 20 Virginia Tech   –   –   9 – 2 – 1
No. 19 Boston College   –   –   9 – 3 – 0
Tulsa   –   –   7 – 4 – 0
Florida State   –   –   7 – 4 – 1
Army   –   –   6 – 5 – 0
Southwestern Louisiana   –   –   6 – 5 – 0
Southern Miss   –   –   6 – 5 – 0
Temple   –   –   6 – 5 – 0
Pittsburgh   –   –   5 – 5 – 1
Rutgers   –   –   5 – 5 – 1
Cincinnati   –   –   5 – 6 – 0
Notre Dame   –   –   5 – 6 – 0
Syracuse   –   –   5 – 6 – 0
South Carolina   –   –   3 – 6 – 2
Tulane   –   –   4 – 7 – 0
West Virginia   –   –   4 – 7 – 0
Louisville   –   –   3 – 8 – 0
Navy   –   –   3 – 8 – 0
Wichita State   –   –   3 – 8 – 0
East Carolina   –   –   2 – 9 – 0
Northern Illinois   –   –   2 – 9 – 0
Memphis State   –   –   1 – 10 – 0
Rankings from AP Poll

Penn State defeated the Miami Hurricanes 14–10 in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl to win Joe Paterno's second consensus national championship.[1] The team was named national champion by AP, Billingsley, FB News, FW, Matthews, NCF, NFF, Sporting News, UPI, and USA/CNN, while named co-champion by FACT, Sagarin (ELO-Chess).[2]

Schedule[]

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendance
September 67:00 p.m.TempleNo. 6
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
TCSW 45–1585,732
September 207:00 p.m.at Boston CollegeNo. 5
  • Sullivan Stadium
  • Foxborough, MA
ESPNW 26–1442,329
September 271:30 p.m.East CarolinaNo. 7
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
TCSW 42–1784,774
October 412:20 p.m.RutgersNo. 5
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
TCSW 31–684,000
October 1112:20 p.m.CincinnatiNo. 5
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA
TCSW 23–1784,812
October 181:30 p.m.SyracusedaggerNo. 6
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
TCSW 42–385,512
October 253:30 p.m.at No. 2 AlabamaNo. 6
ABCW 23–360,210
November 17:30 p.m.at West VirginiaNo. 2
  • Mountaineer Field
  • Morgantown, WV (rivalry)
ESPNW 19–059,184
November 81:00 p.m.MarylandNo. 2
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
TCSW 17–1585,561
November 153:30 p.m.at Notre DameNo. 3
  • Notre Dame Stadium
  • Notre Dame, IN
ABCW 24–1959,075
November 2212:20 p.m.PittsburghNo. 2
  • Beaver Stadium
  • University Park, PA (rivalry)
TCSW 34–1485,722
January 2, 19878:00 p.m.vs. No. 1 Miami (FL)No. 2
NBCW 14–1073,098
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

Rankings[]

See also: 1986 NCAA Division I-A football rankings

AP Poll[]

Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
6 5 5 7 5 5 6 6 2 2 3 2 2 2 1

UPI Poll[]

Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Final
5 5 6 6 5 4 5 5 3 2 3 2 2 2 1

Game summaries[]

Temple[]

See also: 1986 Temple Owls football team
Temple vs. Penn State – Game summary (first night game in Beaver Stadium History)
1 2 34Total
Temple 0 6 0915
#6 Penn State 21 3 14745

at Beaver Stadium

  • Date: September 6
  • Game time: 7:00 PM EDT
  • Game attendance: 85,732
  • TV announcers (TCS): Stan Savran, George Paterno
Game information

Boston College[]

See also: 1986 Boston College Eagles football team
Penn State vs. Boston College – Game summary
1 2 34Total
#5 Penn State 9 3 7726
Boston College 0 0 7714

at Sullivan Stadium

  • Date: September 20
  • Game time: 7:00 PM EDT
  • Game attendance: 42,329
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick, Kevin Kiley, Tim Brando
Game information

East Carolina[]

See also: 1986 East Carolina Pirates football team
East Carolina vs. Penn State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
East Carolina 0 0 31417
#7 Penn State 14 21 0742

at Beaver Stadium

  • Date: September 27
  • Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
  • Game attendance: 84,774
  • TV announcers (TCS): Stan Savran, George Paterno
Game information

Rutgers[]

See also: 1986 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team
Rutgers vs. Penn State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Rutgers 0 0 066
#5 Penn State 14 3 7731

at Beaver Stadium

  • Date: October 4
  • Game time: 12:20 PM EDT
  • Game attendance: 84,000
  • TV announcers (TCS): Stan Savran, George Paterno
Game information

Cincinnati[]

See also: 1986 Cincinnati Bearcats football team
Cincinnati vs. Penn State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Cincinnati 0 7 7317
#5 Penn State 0 14 0923

at Beaver Stadium

  • Date: October 11
  • Game time: 12:20 PM EDT
  • Game attendance: 84,812
  • TV announcers (TCS): Stan Savran, George Paterno
Game information

Syracuse[]

See also: 1986 Syracuse Orangemen football team and Penn State–Syracuse football rivalry
Syracuse vs. Penn State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Syracuse 0 0 033
#6 Penn State 17 9 21754

at Beaver Stadium

  • Date: October 18
  • Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
  • Game attendance: 85,512
  • TV announcers (TCS): Stan Savran, George Paterno
Game information

#2 Alabama[]

See also: 1986 Alabama Crimson Tide football team and Alabama–Penn State football rivalry
Penn State vs. Alabama – Game summary
1 2 34Total
#6 Penn State 0 14 3623
#2 Alabama 3 0 003

at Bryant–Denny Stadium

  • Date: October 25
  • Game time: 3:30 PM EDT
  • Game attendance: 60,210
  • TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson, Tim Brant, Al Trautwig
Game information

West Virginia[]

See also: 1986 West Virginia Mountaineers football team
Penn State vs. West Virginia – Game summary
1 2 34Total
#2 Penn State 7 6 6019
West Virginia 0 0 000

at Mountaineer Field

  • Date: November 1
  • Game time: 7:30 PM EST
  • Game attendance: 59,184
  • TV announcers (ESPN): Mike Patrick, Kevin Kiley, Tim Brando
Game information

Maryland[]

See also: 1986 Maryland Terrapins football team and Maryland–Penn State football rivalry
Maryland vs. Penn State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Maryland 0 0 31215
#2 Penn State 0 7 01017

at Beaver Stadium

  • Date: November 8
  • Game time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game attendance: 85,651
  • TV announcers (TCS): Stan Savran, George Paterno
Game information

Notre Dame[]

See also: 1986 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team
Penn State vs. Notre Dame – Game summary
1 2 34Total
#3 Penn State 7 3 7724
Notre Dame 0 6 7619

at Notre Dame Stadium

  • Date: November 15
  • Game time: 3:30 PM EST
  • Game attendance: 59,075
  • TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson, Tim Brant, Al Trautwig
Game information

Pittsburgh[]

See also: 1986 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
Pittsburgh vs. Penn State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
Pittsburgh 7 0 0714
#2 Penn State 10 7 10734

at Beaver Stadium

  • Date: November 22
  • Game time: 12:20 PM EST
  • Game attendance: 85,722
  • TV announcers (TCS): Stan Savran, George Paterno
Game information

#1 Miami (FL) (Sunkist Fiesta Bowl)[]

See also: 1986 Miami Hurricanes football team and 1987 Fiesta Bowl
Miami (FL) vs. Penn State – Game summary
1 2 34Total
#1 Miami (FL) 0 7 0310
#2 Penn State 0 7 0714

at Sun Devil Stadium

  • Date: January 2, 1987
  • Game time: 8:00 PM EST
  • Game attendance: 73,098
  • Referee: Jimmy Harper
  • TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones, Bob Griese, Jimmy Cefalo, Ahmad Rashād
Game information

Roster[]

1986 Penn State Nittany Lions football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 9 Mike Alexander Jr
T 74 Stan Clayton Jr
G 57 Chris Conlin Sr
RB 42 D. J. Dozier Jr
C 78 Roger Duffy Fr
G 54 Mitch Frerotte Sr
FB 27 John Hornyak Sr
FB 44 Tim Manoa Sr
G 59 Dan Morgan Sr
TE 89 Bob Mrosko So
C 56 Keith Radecic Sr
WR 6 Ray Roundtree Jr
QB 14 John Shaffer Sr
RB 35 Steve Smith Sr
G 79 Dave Szott Fr
RB 32 Blair Thomas So
WR 5 Michael Timpson So
G 66 Steve Wisniewski So
C 72 Mike Wolf Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
LB 35 Trey Bauer Jr
CB 16 Duffy Cobbs Sr
CB/S 43 Andre Collins Fr
LB 31 Shane Conlan Sr
LB 90 Pete Giftopoulos Jr
LB 53 Don Graham Sr
S 2 Stu Helgeson Jr
H 3 Marques Henderson Jr
S 22 Ray Isom Sr
LB 55 Tim Johnson Sr
LB 52 Gregg Johns Jr
LB 84 Keith Karpinski Jr
DB 21 Sid Lewis Sr
LB 92 Quintus McDonald So
LB 33 John Sweenely So
CB 19 Gary Wilkerson So
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
P 11 John Bruno Sr
PK 10 Massimo Manca Sr
K 2 Ray Tarasi Fr
SN 68 Greg Truitt Jr

[3][4] }}

Head coach
  • Joe Paterno
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

NFL Draft[]

Thirteen Nittany Lions were drafted in the 1987 NFL Draft.

Round Pick Overall Name Position Team
1st 8 8 Shane Conlan Linebacker Buffalo Bills
1st 14 14 D.J. Dozier Running back Minnesota Vikings
3rd 24 80 Tim Manoa Running back Cleveland Browns
3rd 25 81 Steve Smith Running back Los Angeles Raiders
4th 1 84 Don Graham Linebacker Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5th 14 126 John Bruno Punter St. Louis Cardinals
5th 20 132 Chris Conlin Offensive guard Miami Dolphins
6th 1 141 Tim Johnson Defensive end Pittsburgh Steelers
6th 22 162 – San Francisco 49ers
8th 27 222 Dan Morgan Offensive guard Denver Broncos
9th 24 247 Linebacker Indianapolis Colts
10th 17 268 Sid Lewis Defensive back New York Jets
11th 7 286 – Detroit Lions

Awards[]

  • Joe Paterno
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
Paul "Bear" Bryant Award

Media[]

Radio[]

Flagship station Play-by-play Color commentator Sideline reporter Studio host
WMAJ AM 1450 Gil Santos
Lanny Frattare

References[]

  1. ^ "Penn State Yearly Results (1985–1989)". College Football Data Warehouse. David DeLassus. Retrieved July 26, 2015.
  2. ^ 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. p. 114. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
  3. ^ "Home".
  4. ^ https://www.libraries.psu.edu/findingaids/491.htm
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