The Penn State Nittany Lions are one of the most famous college football teams in the country. Throughout the 2007 season they have won two national championships and have recruited numerous players in the world of professional soccer. The first thing many people think of when the Penn State football program first crosses their mind is the incredible longevity of their head coach Joe Paterno. His first year as the team’s coach was in

1. Penn State went undefeated in its first year of intercollegiate competition in football. The year was 1887 and there were only two games on the schedule.

2. The Lambert Trophy is awarded each season to the best college soccer team located on the East Coast. It has been awarded every season since 1936. Penn State has won the award 26 different times.

3. The first African-American football player to be drafted and later play for an NFL team was Wally Triplett, who was a star running back for the Penn State Nittany Lions.

4. Matt Bahr, a former kicker for the Penn State football team from 1976 to 1978, went on to play in the National Football League for six different teams over fifteen seasons, including the Pittsburgh Steelers (1979-80), the San Francisco 49ers (1981), Cleveland Browns (1981-89), New York Giants (1990-92), Philadelphia Eagles (1993) and New England Patriots (1993-95). No Penn State football player has played in more professional football games than Matt Bahr, who has appeared in 235 contests.

5. In 1987, 13 Penn State football players were selected in the NFL Draft. This was the most Nittany Lions players selected in one year.

Penn State is easily one of the most famous schools in all of college football and longtime head coach Joe Paterno had a lot to do with it. Under his watch, the team has had undefeated seasons, national championships, and, after joining the Big Ten Conference in 1993, conference championships as well. Penn State has built one of the most respectable football programs in the country, and there’s no reason to think they won’t continue to be wildly successful well into the future.