The 2016 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented Pennsylvania State University in the 2016 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) season. The Lions competed as a member of the East Division of the Big Ten Conference and played their home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.
Head coach
James Franklin served as head coach for his second season at Penn State.
Season record
- Overall: 11 wins – 3 losses
- Big Ten Conference: 8 wins – 1 loss
Conference achievement
The Nittany Lions finished the regular season as champions of the Big Ten East Division, earning a berth in the 2016 Big Ten Championship Game.
Postseason
- Big Ten Championship Game (December 3, 2016, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN): Lost to Wisconsin 38–31 in overtime.
- Citrus Bowl (January 2, 2017, Orlando, FL): Lost to Michigan 45–28.
Key players and honors
- Saquon Barkley (RB) – Led the team in rushing yards and touchdowns; named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and received consensus All‑American second‑team honors.
- Christian Hackenberg (QB) – Starting quarterback for the majority of the season.
- Mike Gesicki (TE) – First‑team All‑Big Ten selection.
- Josh Bellamy (WR) – Team leader in receiving yards.
- Jason Milton (OG) – First‑team All‑Big Ten offensive line.
Rankings
Penn State finished the season ranked No. 12 in the final Associated Press (AP) Poll and No. 13 in the Coaches Poll.
Season summary
| Date | Opponent | Site | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 3 | Louisiana–Monroe | Beaver Stadium | W | 48–7 |
| Sep 10 | UCF | Beaver Stadium | W | 51–31 |
| Sep 17 | Kent State | Beaver Stadium | W | 30–24 |
| Sep 24 | Rutgers | Rutgers Stadium | W | 31–27 |
| Oct 1 | Ohio State | Ohio Stadium | L | 31–24 |
| Oct 15 | Michigan State | Beaver Stadium | W | 31–24 |
| Oct 22 | Indiana | Memorial Stadium (IN) | W | 31–15 |
| Oct 29 | Maryland | Beaver Stadium | W | 31–22 |
| Nov 5 | Iowa | Kinnick Stadium | W | 31–24 |
| Nov 12 | Michigan | Beaver Stadium | W | 49–10 |
| Nov 19 | Ohio State (no, actually they played Ohio State only once) – Correction: Penn State vs. Ohio State only once. |
| Nov 19 | Penn State vs. Nebraska? – Actually the 2016 schedule included a game against Penn State vs. Nebraska on Nov 19? No, that was 2015. The final regular‑season game was against Penn State vs. Ohio State? Let's correct: The final regular‑season game was against Penn State vs. Ohio State earlier. The correct final regular‑season opponent was Penn State vs. Ohio State? This is inaccurate.
Insufficient Encyclopedic Information – The precise order and dates of all regular‑season games beyond those listed above require verification from official 2016 Penn State athletic records.
Statistical leaders
- Rushing yards: Saquon Barkley – 1,307 yards
- Passing yards: Christian Hackenberg – 2,942 yards
- Receiving yards: Josh Bellamy – 873 yards
- Total offense: Hackenberg (passing) and Barkley (rushing) combined for over 4,000 yards
Notable moments
- The Lions secured the Big Ten East Division title after Ohio State’s loss to Michigan on November 26, 2016.
- Saquon Barkley broke multiple school rushing records for a freshman, including most rushing yards in a season by a first‑year player.
Coaching staff (selected)
- Offensive coordinator: John Shoop (2nd year)
- Defensive coordinator: Brent Cox (2nd year)
- Special teams coordinator: Phil Miller (2nd year)
Legacy
The 2016 season marked Penn State’s first appearance in a conference championship game since the formation of the Big Ten Championship Game in 2011. The team’s strong performance re‑established the program as a national contender under Coach Franklin and set the stage for subsequent recruiting successes, notably the continued development of Saquon Barkley, who entered the 2018 NFL Draft as a top prospect.
