Penn State Football: 10 Best Bowl Game Victories in School History

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Penn State defeated LSU 19-17 in a rainy 2010 Capital One Bowl.

Both teams came into the matchup in the Top 15 in the 2010 BCS rankings. The rain put a damper on many pregame expectations.

The Nittany Lions grabbed the victory thanks to one Darryl Clark touchdown and four Collin Wagner field goals.

Darryl Clark took home MVP honors as he helped Penn State finish their 10-2 2010 season.

1974 Orange Bowl

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The 1974 Orange Bowl gave the Nittany Lions a 16-9 victory over LSU. The victory allowed Penn State to finish the season a perfect 12-0.

Penn State running back John Cappelletti was held to 50 yards, and the Nittany Lions were held to 185 yards total.

Chuck Herd and Cappelletti scored the two touchdowns for Penn State to help secure the victory.

1989 Holiday Bowl

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The Nittany Lions defeated the  BYU Cougars in a 1989 Holiday Bowl shootout.

Prolific BYU quarterback TY Detmer threw for 576 yards, which is a Holiday Bowl record. Detmer had the Cougars primed for a game-winning score before Gary Brown stripped the signal-caller, sealing a Nittany Lions victory.

Penn State running back Blair Thomas ran the ball 35 times for 186 yards.

The Nittany Lions finished the season 7-3-1.

1994 Citrus Bowl

Penn State defeated Tennessee 31-13 in the 1994 Citrus Bowl.

The Volunteers were led by prolific quarterback Heath Shuler. However, Penn State's stifling defense held Shuler's offense to just 13 points.

Penn State running back Ki-Jana Carter ran for two scores. Quarterback Kerry Collins threw touchdowns to tight end Kyle Brady and receiver Bobby Engram.

Penn State's victory over Tennessee marked their second postseason victory over the Volunteers in three seasons.

2010 Capital One Bowl

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Penn State defeated LSU 19-17 in a rainy 2010 Capital One Bowl.

Both teams came into the matchup in the Top 15 in the 2010 BCS rankings. The rain put a damper on many pregame expectations.

The Nittany Lions grabbed the victory thanks to one Darryl Clark touchdown and four Collin Wagner field goals.

Darryl Clark took home MVP honors as he helped Penn State finish their 10-2 2010 season.

1992 Fiesta Bowl

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Penn State defeated a very talented Tennessee team 35-17 in the 1992 Fiesta Bowl.

A Nittany Lions victory in the Fiesta Bowl was no surprise at this point.

Tennessee boasted a high-power offense led by quarterback Andy Kelly, receiver Carl Pickens and running back James Stewart. However, Penn State's defense stifled the Volunteer's attack.

Penn State's offense was led by Tony Sacca. After accumulating just 59 yards in the first half, the Nittany Lions exploded in the second half led by Sacca and receiver O.J. McDuffie.

1995 Rose Bowl

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The Penn State Nittany Lions finished their second season as a member of the Big Ten ranked second in the country.

In the 1995 Rose Bowl the Nittany Lions defeated the Oregon Ducks 38-20 to finish their season 11-0.

Penn State running back Ki-Jana Carter and Oregon quarterback Danny O'Neil shared Rose Bowl Player of the Game honors. Carter ran for three scores, cementing his number one selection in the upcoming NFL draft.

The Rose Bowl victory put the cap on one of the best seasons Penn State has ever had.

1996 Outback Bowl

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Penn State defeated Auburn 43-14 to win the 1996 edition of the Outback Bowl. Penn State's 43 points is still a record.

Wally Richardson hurled four scores for Penn State. Two of those touchdowns landed in the hands of electric receiver Bobby Engram.

Consistent running back Curtis Enis also made solid contributions on the ground.

A balanced attack came together for a rout in favor of the Nittany Lions.

2006 Orange Bowl

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Penn State's most recent triumphant season came in 2006. The Nittany Lions defeated Florida State 26-23 to win the Orange Bowl.

The matchup went to triple overtime and cleared the four hour mark. Florida State would hit the upright on a crucial field goal in the third overtime, allowing Penn State's Kevin Kelly to kick the game winner.

Austin Scott led the way for Penn State with two touchdowns on the ground.

Quarterback Michael Robinson showed great leadership throughout the 2006 season, and continued the trend against the Seminoles.

The battle between the two winningest coaches in NCAA history added more fuel to an already-great matchup.

1983 Sugar Bowl

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The Penn State Nittany Lions defeated Georgia 27-23 in the 1983 Sugar Bowl. The victory secured Penn State's coveted national championship.

Curt Warner outperformed all-everything running back Herschel Walker with two touchdown runs on the night.

Quarterback Todd Blackledge threw one touchdown pass to receiver Greg Garrity.

The Nittany Lions finished their 10-1 season with this important victory over top-ranked Georgia.

1987 Fiesta Bowl

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Penn State defeated Miami 14-10 in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl. This matchup is still considered one of the best college football games of all time.

Miami outscored their opponents 420-136 during the season. Mainly because of the arm of Vinny Testaverde. Defensively, the Hurricanes were led by two All-Americans, Jerome Brown and Bennie Blades.

Penn State had talent as well. Linebacker Shane Conlan, defensive tackle Tim Johnson and running back D.J. Dozier were all All-Americans.

The Hurricanes had a chance to win the game. However, Penn State linebacker Pete Giftopoulos had a different idea.

With Miami at the 6-yard line and 18 seconds remaining, Giftopoulos ended the Hurricanes' threat with an interception at the goal line.

The interception and overall effort of the Nittany Lions secured one of the great upsets in college football despite Penn State's talent on both sides of the ball.