1881 Penn State Nittany Lions football team

The 1881 Penn State Nittany Lions football team would reference the school's first recorded game, beating Bucknell, then known as the University of Lewisburg, 9–0. Although this game was reported in two State College newspapers and the Mirror (University of Lewisburg campus newspaper), Bucknell denies that this game ever happened. Penn State did not field teams from 1882 through 1886.

Despite the article title, the school did not adopt the Nittany Lion as its mascot until 1907.