1912 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

American college football season August 2023 February 2026 1912 Penn State Nittany Lions football Penn State Football 1912.jpg 285 Independent 8–0 Bill Hollenback 3rd Pete Mauthe New Beaver Field Co-national champion (NCF) The 1912 Penn State Nittany Lions football team was an American football team that represented Pennsylvania State College as an independent during the 1912 college football season. In their third season under head coach Bill Hollenback, the team compiled an 8–0 record, shut out seven of eight opponents, and outscored all opponents by a total of 285 to 6. There was no contemporaneous system in 1912 for determining a national champion. However, Penn State was retroactively named as the national champion by the National Championship Foundation. Harvard was recognized as the 1912 national champion by most selectors.http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2020/FBS.pdf 2020 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records The National Collegiate Athletic Association 112–114 July 2020 Indianapolis January 12, 2021 November 1, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20201101032438/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_records/2020/FBS.pdf live This team is known for playing the first of a series of games against eventual rival Ohio State,https://www.winsipedia.com/games/ohio-state/vs/penn-state Ohio State vs. Penn State Full Games List Winsipedia 22 October 2025 in which the Buckeyes forfeited because of the alleged rough play of the Nittany Lions once the score was 37–0.Ohio State Team Guide 2017 January 17, 2018 http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/osu/graphics/pdf/m-footbl/17guide/2017FBMediaGuide_77-82_ThroughtheYears.pdf January 18, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180118010432/http://grfx.cstv.com/schools/osu/graphics/pdf/m-footbl/17guide/2017FBMediaGuide_77-82_ThroughtheYears.pdf dead The official score was 1–0, but the gameball lists the score as 37–0. Three persons associated with the 1912 Penn State team were later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame: coach Hollenback (inducted 1951);Bill Hollenback National Football Foundation March 30, 2022 https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1246 fullback Pete Mauthe (inducted 1957);Pete Mauthe National Football Foundation March 30, 2022 https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1301 and quarterback Shorty Miller (inducted 1974).Shorty Miller National Football Foundation March 30, 2022 https://footballfoundation.org/hof_search.aspx?hof=1302 Schedule October 5 w 1912 Carnegie Tech Tartans Carnegie Tech New Beaver Field State College, PA 41–0 Tech Swamped by State The Pittsburgh Press October 6, 1912 25 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98754282/tech-swamped-by-state/ Newspapers.com October 12 w Washington & Jefferson New Beaver Field State College, PA 30–0 4,000 Wash-Jeff Is Conquered By Penn State https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85537021/pittsburgh-post-gazette/ The Gazette Times Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania October 13, 1912 19 September 18, 2021 Newspapers.com October 19 w y Cornell Percy Field Ithaca, NY 29–6 Penn State Boys Humble Cornell The Philadelphia Inquirer October 20, 1912 16 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98754400/penn-state-boys-humble-cornell/ Newspapers.com October 26 w 1912 Gettysburg Gettysburg New Beaver Field State College, PA 25–0 Penn State Defeats Gettysburg Eleven Pittsburgh Daily Post October 27, 1912 46 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98754473/penn-state-defeats-gettysburg-eleven/ Newspapers.com November 2 w y Penn Franklin Field Philadelphia, PA 14–0 15,000 Penn Battles Desperately to Come Back at State's Expense, But Fails at Task: State Forced to Limit to Conquer Penn The Philadelphia Inquirer November 3, 1912 34 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98754583/penn-battles-desperately-to-come-back/ Newspapers.com November 9 w Villanova New Beaver Field State College, PA 71–0 This Was Picnic for Penn State The Philadelphia Inquirer November 10, 1912 18 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/98754656/this-was-picnic-for-penn-state/ Newspapers.com November 16 w y Ohio State Ohio Field Columbus, OH rivalry 37–0 3,500 Ohio State Doesn't Like Penn's Ways The Philadelphia Inquirer November 17, 1912 16 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/39263918/the-philadelphia-inquirer/ Newspapers.com November 28 w y Pittsburgh Forbes Field Pittsburgh, PA rivalry 38–0 15,000 Penn State Defeats Pitt But is Forced to Fight For Every Inch The Pittsburgh Post November 29, 1912 11 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57843042/penn-state-defeats-pitt-but-is-forced/ Newspapers.com 1912 Penn State Nittany Lions Schedule and Results Sports Reference LLC SR/College Football March 30, 2022 https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/penn-state/1912-schedule.html Roster Albert Barron, E James Bebout, G Punk Berryman, HB John B. Clark, C Devine, E Engle, T Fisher, C Hansen, G Keller, HB Levi Lamb, T Langdon, QB Pete Mauthe, FB McNulty, FB McVean, T J. Miller, G Shorty Miller, QB Sayre, T Smeart, E Elgie Tobin, FB Dexter Very, E Vogel, T Welling, HB Welty, HB Werder, C O. Weston, HB W. Weston, E Whitney, T Wilson, E References Penn State Category:Penn State Nittany Lions football seasons Category:College football national champions Category:College football undefeated seasons Penn State Nittany Lions football