Joe Paterno: His 10 Best Bowl Victories at Penn State

Joe Paterno passed away early Sunday morning after a two-month battle with lung cancer. He was 85 years old.

Paterno won 409 games and two national championships, and he took the Lions to 37 bowl games in his career. His success and longevity is unrivaled in college football and the rest of the sporting world.

His success does not end on the field. Paterno taught his players what it meant to be men and how to live their lives successfully. He preached success with honor and lived everyday by that code.

Paterno sent 250 players on to the NFL and paved the way for several others to have great careers in other walks of life.

On the field, coaches are measured by victories. Bowl victories are even more important when determining the strength of a coaching legacy.

Here are Paterno's 10 best bowl victories as the head coach of the Nittany Lions.

1989 Holiday Bowl

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

Prolific BYU quarterback Ty Detmer threw for 576 yards. That number still stands as a Holiday Bowl record.

Detmer had the Cougars primed for a game-winning score before Penn State defender 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. His workhorse effort paced the Penn State offense.

The Nittany Lions finished the season 7-3-1. This was a fine Penn State victory over one of the most prolific offenses in the country.

1974 Orange Bowl

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.

Star 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 to secure the Penn State victory.

This game was a great example of hard work and winning at all costs. Despite Cappalletti's stagnant day on the ground, Joe Paterno found a way to rally his team to victory.

2010 Capital One Bowl

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, but the two teams battled nonetheless.

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.

Joe Paterno coached his team through awful weather conditions. The rain probably helped the Nittany Lions against a faster Tiger team.

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's all-everything 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. Dominance over an SEC squad is never something to overlook in the college football world.

Joe Paterno led his team to victory against a very talented Volunteer squad.

1995 Rose Bowl

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 No. 1 selection in the upcoming NFL draft.

The Rose Bowl victory put the cap on one of the best seasons Penn State has ever had. Joe Paterno's 1995 season was absolutely one to remember.

A victory in the most prestigious bowl game was a perfect cap on a perfect season

1992 Fiesta Bowl

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. The Nittany Lions owned the Fiesta Bowl under head coach Joe Paterno.

Tennessee boasted a high-powered 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.

The Nittany Lions' ability to bounce back in the second half showed resilience in the face of a tough opponent.

1996 Outback Bowl

Penn State defeated Auburn, 43-14, to win the 1996 edition of the Outback Bowl. Penn State's 43 points is still an Outback Bowl 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. Richardson was inconsistent throughout his career, but things came together at the right time for the Nittany Lion offense.

2006 Orange Bowl

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. His development was the most important element to this team's BCS berth.

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

This was a sweet-tasting victory for Joe Paterno. He was under fire in 2003 and 2004 before receiving a four-year contract extension and leading this improbable team to a BCS victory.

1983 Sugar Bowl

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.

This was one of Joe Paterno's most memorable victories because it was his first national championship. It was also special because they knocked off a Georgia team featuring one of the best running backs in college football history.

1987 Fiesta Bowl

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.

Joe Paterno's Nittany Lions knocked off the most talented team in the country to secure Paterno's second national championship at Penn State. This is special, and the game is still considered one of the greatest games of all-time.