The 2001 Penn State Nittany Lions football team represented the Pennsylvania State University in the 2001 NCAA Division I-A football season. The team's head coach was Joe Paterno. It played its home games at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.
Due to the September 11 attacks, the Virginia game was rescheduled from September 13, 2001, to December 1, 2001.
Two Nittany Lions were drafted in the 2002 NFL draft.