CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1969 Penn State

11–⁠0, coached by Joe Paterno, finished No. 2 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Penn State in 1969, game by game: won at Navy 45–22; won vs. Colorado 27–3; won at Kansas State 17–14; won vs. No. 17 West Virginia 20–0; won at Syracuse 15–14; won vs. Ohio 42–3; won vs. Boston College 38–16; won vs. Maryland 48–0; won at Pittsburgh 27–7; won at NC State 33–8; won vs. No. 6 Missouri 10–3+48Won 45–22 at Navy+23NavyWon 27–3 vs. Colorado+24ColoradoWon 17–14 at Kansas State+3Kansas StateWon 20–0 vs. No. 17 West Virginia+20No. 17 West VirginiaWon 15–14 at Syracuse+1SyracuseWon 42–3 vs. Ohio+39OhioWon 38–16 vs. Boston College+22Boston CollegeWon 48–0 vs. Maryland+48MarylandWon 27–7 at Pittsburgh+20PittsburghWon 33–8 at NC State+25NC StateWon 10–3 vs. No. 6 Missouri+7No. 6 Missouri
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 20atNavyW 45–⁠2275%
Sep 27vsColoradoW 27–⁠379%
Oct 4atKansas StateW 17–⁠1468%
Oct 11vs17West VirginiaW 20–⁠073%
Oct 18atSyracuseW 15–⁠1463%
Oct 25vsOhioW 42–⁠378%
Nov 1vsBoston CollegeW 38–⁠1688%
Nov 15vsMarylandW 48–⁠094%
Nov 22atPittsburghW 27–⁠785%
Nov 29atNC StateW 33–⁠876%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvs6MissouriOrange BowlW 10–⁠359%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Missouri 10–⁠3 in the Orange Bowl; No. 2 in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 4th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 139 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 3
  2. Wk 2: 2
  3. Wk 3: 2
  4. Wk 4: 5
  5. Wk 5: 5
  6. Wk 6: 8
  7. Wk 7: 5
  8. Wk 8: 5
  9. Wk 9: 5
  10. Wk 10: 4
  11. Wk 11: 3
  12. Wk 12: 3
  13. Wk 13: 2
  14. Final: 2

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1969.

Heisman voteMike Reid, fifth

Maxwell AwardMike Reid, DT; also the Outland

2 consensus All-AmericansMike Reid, DT; Dennis Onkotz, LB

Record
11–⁠0
Conference
—
AP final
No. 2 peak No. 2
Points
322–⁠90
Coach
Joe Paterno
Elo
1797 +120 this season
SP+ rating
—
SRS
23.3 No. 14 of 122 major-college teams
Recruiting class
—
Defensive coordinator
Jim O’Hora
Captains
Tom Jackson, Mike Reid and Steve Smear
Offense
I formation
Defense
4–⁠3

Drafted in 1970

The 1970 draft
Rd 1Mike Reid DTCincinnati Bengals
Rd 3Charlie Pittman RBSt. Louis Cardinals
Rd 3Dennis Onkotz LBNew York Jets
Rd 4Steve Smear DTBaltimore Colts
Rd 4John Ebersole LBNew York Jets
Rd 7Don Abbey LBDallas Cowboys