All-time ranking

Top 25 games in the database

Wins receive a small preference, but exceptional losses and ties remain eligible. Select any game for its available box score and statistics.

1986PostseasonNeutral site
W 14-10 vs. Miami
No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 1 Miami · 4-point margin
Ranking 49/50 · Closeness 26/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
80
Game score
Full Game · 1986 Penn State vs. Miami (Bowl Full Game)
1982PostseasonNeutral site
W 27-23 vs. Georgia
No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 1 Georgia · 4-point margin
Ranking 49/50 · Closeness 26/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
80
Game score
2025Week 5Home2OT
L 24-30 vs. Oregon
No. 3 Penn State vs. No. 6 Oregon · 6-point margin
Ranking 43/50 · Closeness 24/30 · Overtime 11/15 · Win 0/5
78
Game score
Full Game · 2025 Penn State vs. Oregon (Regular Season Full Game)
1968PostseasonNeutral site
W 15-14 vs. Kansas
No. 3 Penn State vs. No. 6 Kansas · 1-point margin
Ranking 43/50 · Closeness 29/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
77
Game score
1997Week 8Home
W 31-27 vs. Ohio State
No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 7 Ohio State · 4-point margin
Ranking 43/50 · Closeness 26/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
74
Game score
1982Week 4Home
W 27-24 vs. Nebraska
No. 8 Penn State vs. No. 2 Nebraska · 3-point margin
Ranking 42/50 · Closeness 27/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
74
Game score
Full Game · Penn State vs. Nebraska (Full Broadcast)
2017Week 9Away
L 38-39 vs. Ohio State
No. 6 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Penn State · 1-point margin
Ranking 44/50 · Closeness 29/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
73
Game score
Highlight · 2017 Ohio State vs. Penn State (Regular Season Full Game)
1947PostseasonNeutral site
T 13-13 vs. SMU
No. 5 Penn State vs. No. 4 SMU · 0-point margin
Ranking 43/50 · Closeness 30/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
73
Game score
1978PostseasonNeutral site
L 7-14 vs. Alabama
No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 1 Penn State · 7-point margin
Ranking 49/50 · Closeness 23/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
72
Game score
2021Week 6Away
L 20-23 vs. Iowa
No. 3 Iowa vs. No. 4 Penn State · 3-point margin
Ranking 45/50 · Closeness 27/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
72
Game score
Highlight · 2021 Iowa vs. Penn State (Regular Season Full Game)
1994Week 8Away
W 31-24 vs. Michigan
No. 5 Michigan vs. No. 3 Penn State · 7-point margin
Ranking 44/50 · Closeness 23/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
72
Game score
1969PostseasonNeutral site
W 10-3 vs. Missouri
No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 6 Missouri · 7-point margin
Ranking 44/50 · Closeness 23/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
72
Game score
1999Week 4Away
W 27-23 vs. Miami
No. 8 Miami vs. No. 3 Penn State · 4-point margin
Ranking 41/50 · Closeness 26/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
72
Game score
1982Week 13Home
W 19-10 vs. Pittsburgh
No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 5 Pittsburgh · 9-point margin
Ranking 45/50 · Closeness 21/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
71
Game score
2024College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange BowlNeutral site
L 24-27 vs. Notre Dame
No. 5 Penn State vs. No. 3 Notre Dame · 3-point margin
Ranking 44/50 · Closeness 27/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
71
Game score
Highlight · 2024 Penn State vs. Notre Dame (CFP Semifinal Full Game)
2005FedEx Orange BowlAway3OT
W 26-23 vs. Florida State
No. 22 Florida State vs. No. 4 Penn State · 3-point margin
Ranking 26/50 · Closeness 27/30 · Overtime 13/15 · Win 5/5
71
Game score
Full Game · 2005 Florida State vs. Penn State (Orange Bowl Full Game)
2024Week 15Neutral site
L 37-45 vs. Oregon
No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 3 Penn State · 8-point margin
Ranking 48/50 · Closeness 22/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
70
Game score
Full Game · 2024 Oregon vs. Penn State (Regular Season Full Game)
1992Week 7Home
L 14-17 vs. Miami
No. 7 Penn State vs. No. 2 Miami · 3-point margin
Ranking 43/50 · Closeness 27/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
70
Game score
1959Week 9Home
L 18-20 vs. Syracuse
No. 10 Penn State vs. No. 1 Syracuse · 2-point margin
Ranking 41/50 · Closeness 28/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
69
Game score
2024Week 10Home
L 13-20 vs. Ohio State
No. 3 Penn State vs. No. 4 Ohio State · 7-point margin
Ranking 45/50 · Closeness 23/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
68
Game score
Highlight · 2024 Penn State vs. Ohio State (Regular Season Full Game)
2018Week 5Home
L 26-27 vs. Ohio State
No. 9 Penn State vs. No. 4 Ohio State · 1-point margin
Ranking 39/50 · Closeness 29/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 0/5
68
Game score
Highlight · 2018 Penn State vs. Ohio State (Regular Season Full Game)
2008Week 9Away
W 13-6 vs. Ohio State
No. 10 Ohio State vs. No. 3 Penn State · 7-point margin
Ranking 39/50 · Closeness 23/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
67
Game score
Full Game · 2008 Ohio State vs. Penn State (Regular Season Full Game)
1985Week 7Home
W 19-17 vs. Alabama
No. 8 Penn State vs. No. 10 Alabama · 2-point margin
Ranking 34/50 · Closeness 28/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
67
Game score
1977Week 13Away
W 15-13 vs. Pittsburgh
No. 10 Pittsburgh vs. No. 8 Penn State · 2-point margin
Ranking 34/50 · Closeness 28/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
67
Game score
2016Week 14Neutral site
W 38-31 vs. Wisconsin
No. 8 Penn State vs. No. 6 Wisconsin · 7-point margin
Ranking 38/50 · Closeness 23/30 · Overtime 0/15 · Win 5/5
66
Game score
Highlight · 2016 Penn State vs. Wisconsin (Regular Season Full Game)

Methodology

How each game earns up to 100 points

AP ranking, 50 points: each team earns 26 minus its game-week AP rank. Unranked teams receive zero ranking points.

Closeness, 30 points: the score margin is subtracted from 30, with margins of 30 or more receiving zero.

Overtime, 15 points: overtime starts at nine points and rises by two per additional period, capped at 15.

Result, 5 points: a featured-team win receives five points; losses and ties receive zero.

Regular-season rankings are matched to the AP Top 25 for the game's recorded week. Postseason games use the final regular-season AP poll published before bowl and playoff results. Overtime uses period scoring when available, then explicit overtime notes as a fallback. Older games and smaller programs may have less complete poll or period data.

Penn State Top 25 Games

Top 25 games in the database

How each game earns up to 100 points

Keep exploring Penn State