1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
The 1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1976 NCAA Division I football season and is recognized as a consensus national champion.[2] Pitt was also awarded the Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy as the best Division I team in the East.
| 1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football | |
|---|---|
 | |
Sugar Bowl, W 27–3 vs. Georgia | |
| Conference | Independent |
| Ranking | |
| Coaches | No. 1 |
| AP | No. 1 |
| 1976 record | 12–0 |
| Head coach | Johnny Majors (4th season) |
| Offensive coordinator | Joe Avezzano (1st season) |
| Offensive scheme | Veer |
| Defensive coordinator | Bobby Roper (1st season) |
| Base defense | Basic 50 |
| Home stadium | Pitt Stadium (Capacity: 56,500) |
| 1976 NCAA Division I independents football records | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team | W | L | T | W | L | T | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 1 Pittsburgh | – | 12 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 17 Rutgers | – | 11 | – | 0 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| San Diego State | – | 10 | – | 1 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 12 Notre Dame | – | 9 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Colgate | – | 8 | – | 2 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boston College | – | 8 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cincinnati | – | 8 | – | 3 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Memphis State | – | 7 | – | 4 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| North Texas State | – | 7 | – | 4 | – | 0* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Penn State | – | 7 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Villanova | – | 6 | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| South Carolina | – | 6 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Virginia Tech | – | 6 | – | 5 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Army | – | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Florida State | – | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Illinois State | – | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Richmond | – | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Virginia | – | 5 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Georgia Tech | – | 4 | – | 6 | – | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Temple | – | 4 | – | 6 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Air Force | – | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dayton | – | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Louisville | – | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Navy | – | 4 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Indiana State | – | 3 | – | 7 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hawaii | – | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Holy Cross | – | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Miami (FL) | – | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Syracuse | – | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Utah State | – | 3 | – | 8 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Northeast Louisiana | – | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Southern Miss | – | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tulane | – | 2 | – | 9 | – | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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During the 1970s, the top-ranked team won its bowl game only three times: Pittsburgh joined Nebraska (1971) and USC (1972).
Kiosk in the Great Hall at Heinz Field celebrating Pitt's 1976 national championship
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A football signed by the 1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football team, including Tony Dorsett and head coach Johnny Majors.
Schedule
| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 11 | 4:20 pm | at No. 11 Notre Dame | No. 9 | ABC | W 31–10 | 59,075 | |
| September 18 | 7:30 pm | at Georgia Tech | No. 3 |
| W 42–14 | 43,424 | |
| September 25 | 1:30 pm | Temple | No. 3 | W 21–7 | 38,500 | ||
| Sat. Oct. 2 | 1:30 pm | at Duke | No. 2 | W 44–31 | 37,200 | ||
| October 9 | 1:30 pm | Louisville | No. 2 |
| W 27–6 | 34,000 | |
| October 16 | 1:30 pm | Miami (FL) | No. 2 |
| W 36–19 | 42,434 | |
| October 23 | 2:00 pm | at Navy | No. 2 | W 45–0 | 26,346 | ||
| October 30 | 1:30 pm | Syracuse | No. 2 |
| W 23–13 | 50,399 | |
| November 6 | 1:30 pm | Army | No. 2 |
| W 37–7 | 45,753 | |
| November 13 | 1:30 pm | West Virginia | No. 1 |
| ABC | W 24–16 | 56,500 |
| November 26 | 9:00 pm | No. 16 Penn State | No. 1 |
| ABC | W 24–7 | 50,250 |
| January 1 | 12:30 pm | vs. No. 5 Georgia | No. 1 |
| ABC | W 27–3 | 76,117 |
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Roster
| 1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football team roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Offense
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Defense
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Special teams
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Coaching staff
| 1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football staff | |||||||||
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Coaching staff
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Support staff
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Strength and conditioning staff | |||||||
Regular season
The previous season saw Pitt win the Sun Bowl over Kansas for an 8–4 record, highlighted by wins at Georgia and Notre Dame. The stage was set for 1976, with Pitt ranked ninth in the AP preseason poll, for the Panthers to make a run for the national championship.
In the first game of the 1976 season, the Panthers faced off against Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. A year earlier, Tony Dorsett had finished with 303 yards rushing in Pitt's 34–20 victory over the Irish. "They even grew the grass high," said Carmen DeArdo, a diehard Pitt alumnus, "and everyone knew Tony would get the ball." "They didn't let that grass grow long enough," Dorsett said later. He darted 61 yards on his first run of the season and tacked on 120 more by the end of the 31–10 Pitt win.[3][4]
The season continued with a 42–14 win at Georgia Tech and a 36–19 win over Miami. The Panthers traveled to Annapolis on October 23 to face Navy and Dorsett broke the NCAA career rushing record on a 32-yard touchdown run in the 45–0 victory. Dorsett's achievement prompted a mid-game celebration in which even Navy saluted the feat with a cannon blast.[5] Pitt won a tough, hard-fought battle against struggling rival Syracuse.
On November 6, the second-ranked Panthers hosted Army at Pitt Stadium and won handily, but the significant action was taking place several hundred miles west, in West Lafayette, Indiana, where the Purdue Boilermakers held off the top-ranked Michigan Wolverines 16–14 in the closing seconds. The Pitt Stadium crowd erupted in celebration when the stadium public address announcer dramatically gave the final score from Purdue. For the first time in the modern era, Panther fans could legitimately claim, "We're number one!" Pitt defended its ranking in a close Backyard Brawl against West Virginia to go 10–0 heading into the regular season finale on national television against instate rival Penn State (7–3).[6]
At a packed Three Rivers Stadium on the night after Thanksgiving, the Nittany Lions scored first and held Dorsett to 51 yards in the first half; the game was tied at seven at halftime.[7] Majors adjusted for the second half by shifting Dorsett from tailback to fullback, enabling him to explode for an additional 173 yards as Pitt rolled to a 24–7 victory to cap an undefeated regular season.[7][8]
In December, Dorsett became the first (and remains the only) Pitt Panther to win the Heisman Trophy as the nation's best college football player. Dorsett also won the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, and was named UPI Player of the Year. He led the nation in rushing with 1,948 yards and was selected as an All-American. Dorsett finished his college career with 6,082 total rushing yards, then an NCAA record for career rushing.
Sugar Bowl
The 11–0 Panthers accepted an invitation to the Sugar Bowl to face fifth-ranked Georgia. Pitt defeated the Bulldogs 27–3 and was voted number one by both the Associated Press and Coaches polls, claiming their ninth national championship.[9] This was Pitt's first undefeated national championship since 1937. The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) named Majors the 1976 Coach of the Year. Following this historic season, Majors returned to his alma mater, the University of Tennessee, to take the head coaching job.[10]
Game summaries
at #11 Notre Dame
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 12–29–1 | 1975 | W, 34–20 |
#9 Pittsburgh Panthers at #11 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #9 Pittsburgh | 7 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 31 |
| #11 Notre Dame | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
at Notre Dame Stadium • Notre Dame, IN
- Date: September 11
- Game time: 4:20 PM EDT
- Game attendance: 59,075
- TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson, Bud Wilkinson
| Game information | ||
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| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics
| Statistics | Pittsburgh | Notre Dame |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Rushing yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Turnovers | ||
| Time of possession | ||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving | |||
| Notre Dame | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving |
at Georgia Tech
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 4–2 | 1974 | W, 27–17 |
Robert Haygood tore knee ligaments in the victory.
#3 Pittsburgh Panthers at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #3 Pittsburgh | 7 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 42 |
| Georgia Tech | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at Grant Field • Atlanta, GA
- Date: September 18
- Game time: 7:30 PM EDT
- Game attendance: 43,424
| Game information | ||
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| Scoring summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics
| Statistics | Pittsburgh | Georgia Tech |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Rushing yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Turnovers | ||
| Time of possession | ||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving | |||
| Georgia Tech | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving |
Temple
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 4–1–1 | 1975 | W, 55–6 |
Temple Owls at #3 Pittsburgh Panthers
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temple | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| #3 Pittsburgh | 0 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 21 |
at Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA
- Date: September 25
- Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
- Game attendance: 38,500
| Game information | ||
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| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics
| Statistics | Temple | Pittsburgh |
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| First downs | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Rushing yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Turnovers | ||
| Time of possession | ||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temple | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving | |||
| Pittsburgh | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving |
at Duke
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 8–8 | 1975 | W, 14–0 |
#2 Pittsburgh Panthers at Duke Blue Devils
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 Pittsburgh | 7 | 23 | 14 | 0 | 44 |
| Duke | 7 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 31 |
at Wallace Wade Stadium • Durham, NC
- Date: October 2
- Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
- Game attendance: 37,200
| Game information | ||
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| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics
| Statistics | Pittsburgh | Duke |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Rushing yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Turnovers | ||
| Time of possession | ||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving | |||
| Duke | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving |
Louisville
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| First meeting | ||
Louisville Cardinals at #2 Pittsburgh Panthers
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| #2 Pittsburgh | 10 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
at Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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Matt Cavanaugh sustained a hairline fracture in the left ankle during the first half.
| Scoring summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics
| Statistics | Louisville | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Rushing yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Turnovers | ||
| Time of possession | ||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving | |||
| Pittsburgh | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving |
Miami (FL)
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 7–7–1 | 1970 | W, 28–17 |
Miami (FL) Hurricanes at #2 Pittsburgh Panthers
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami (FL) | 0 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 19 |
| #2 Pittsburgh | 9 | 13 | 0 | 14 | 36 |
at Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA
- Date: October 16
- Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
- Game attendance: 42,434
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Scoring summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics
| Statistics | Miami (FL) | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Rushing yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Turnovers | ||
| Time of possession | ||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami (FL) | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving | |||
| Pittsburgh | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving |
at Navy
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 12–10–2 | 1975 | L, 0–17 |
#2 Pittsburgh Panthers at Navy Midshipmen
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 Pittsburgh | 7 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 45 |
| Navy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis, Maryland
- Date: October 23
- Game time: 2:00 PM EDT
- Game attendance: 26,346
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics
| Statistics | Pittsburgh | Navy |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Rushing yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Turnovers | ||
| Time of possession | ||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving | |||
| Navy | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving |
Syracuse
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 16–13–1 | 1975 | W, 38–0 |
Syracuse Orangemen at #2 Pittsburgh Panthers
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 13 |
| #2 Pittsburgh | 3 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 23 |
at Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA
- Date: October 30
- Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
- Game attendance: 50,399
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Scoring summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics
| Statistics | Syracuse | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Rushing yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Turnovers | ||
| Time of possession | ||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syracuse | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving | |||
| Pittsburgh | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving |
Army
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 11–6–2 | 1975 | W, 52–20 |
Army Cadets at #2 Pittsburgh Panthers
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| #2 Pittsburgh | 3 | 10 | 21 | 3 | 37 |
at Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA
- Date: November 6
- Game time: 1:30 PM EST
- Game attendance: 45,753
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Scoring summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics
| Statistics | Army | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Rushing yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Turnovers | ||
| Time of possession | ||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Army | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving | |||
| Pittsburgh | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving |
West Virginia
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 43–17–1 | 1975 | L, 14–17 |
West Virginia Mountaineers at #1 Pittsburgh Panthers
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | 3 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 16 |
| #1 Pittsburgh | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
at Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA
- Date: November 13
- Game time: 1:30 PM EST
- Game attendance: 56,500
- TV announcers (ABC): Steve Zabriskie, Lee Grosscup
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics
| Statistics | West Virginia | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 15 | 25 |
| Total yards | 169 | 399 |
| Rushing yards | 99 | 350 |
| Passing yards | 70 | 49 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 5 |
| Time of possession | ||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving | |||
| Pittsburgh | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving |
vs. #16 Penn State
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 35–36–3 | 1975 | L, 6–7 |
#1 Pittsburgh Panthers vs. #16 Penn State Nittany Lions
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Pittsburgh | 0 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 24 |
| #16 Penn State | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Three Rivers Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA
- Date: November 26
- Game time: 9:00 PM EST
- Game attendance: 50,250
- TV announcers (ABC): Chris Schenkel, Bud Wilkinson, Steve Zabriskie
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics
| Statistics | Pittsburgh | Penn State |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | ||
| Total yards | ||
| Rushing yards | ||
| Passing yards | ||
| Turnovers | ||
| Time of possession | ||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving | |||
| Penn State | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving |
vs. #5 Georgia (Sugar Bowl)
| Overall record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1–0–1 | 1975 | W, 19–9 |
1977 Sugar Bowl: #1 Pittsburgh Panthers vs. #5 Georgia Bulldogs
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Pittsburgh | 7 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 27 |
| #5 Georgia | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
at Louisiana Superdome • New Orleans, LA
- Date: January 1
- Game time: 12:30 PM EST
- Game attendance: 76,177
- TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson, Ara Parseghian
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
| Scoring summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Statistics
| Statistics | Pittsburgh | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| First downs | 24 | 14 |
| Total yards | 480 | 181 |
| Rushing yards | 288 | 135 |
| Passing yards | 192 | 46 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 6 |
| Time of possession | ||
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | Passing | Matt Cavanaugh | 10/18, 192 yards, 1 TD |
| Rushing | Tony Dorsett | 32 carries, 202 yards, 1 TD | |
| Receiving | Willie Taylor | 4 receptions, 72 yards | |
| Georgia | Passing | ||
| Rushing | |||
| Receiving |
Team players drafted into the NFL
| Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL Club |
| Tony Dorsett | Running back | 1 | 2 | Dallas Cowboys |
| Larry Swider | Punter | 7 | 185 | Denver Broncos |
| Jim Corbett | Tight end | 7 | 194 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| Al Romano | Defensive lineman | 11 | 289 | Houston Oilers |
| Carson Long | Kicker | 11 | 302 | Los Angeles Rams |
| Don Parrish | Defensive end | 12 | 314 | Atlanta Falcons |
Awards and honors
Media
Radio
| Flagship station | Play-by-play | Color commentator | Sideline reporter | Studio host |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WTAE–AM 1250 | Bill Hillgrove | John Sauer | ||
References
- https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1976-standings.html
- Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book (PDF). Indianapolis: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2009. p. 85. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
- "CNNSI.com – College Football – Heisman Heroes – Suzuki presents Heisman Heroes: Tony Dorsett – Friday August 25, 2000 01:29 PM". CNN.
- Gorman, Kevin (2008-10-30). "Pitt-Notre Dame series produces phenomenal performances". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on 2013-01-04. Retrieved 2010-04-29.
- "Tony Dorsett No. 1". Reading Eagle. (Pennsylvania). Associated Press. October 24, 1976. p. 77.
- Axelrod, Phil (November 26, 1976). "Pitt, State, maybe Tennessee". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 18.
- Parascenzo, Marino (November 27, 1976). "Panthers claw Nittany Lions, 24-7". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 1.
- Mackin, Mike (2008-06-12). "Let's Learn From the Past: The 1976 Pitt Panthers". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2010-04-29.
- "Yearly National Championship Selections: 1976 National Championships". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
- Fitzgerald, Francis J., ed. (1996). The Year the Panthers Roared. Louisville, Kentucky: AdCraft Sports. ISBN 1-887761-06-3.
- "Pitt loses quarterback, but Dorsett nears record." Eugene Register-Guard. 1976 Oct 10. Retrieved 2018-Dec-30.
- https://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1977.htm
- "1976 – 42nd Award Tony Dorsett Pittsburgh Back". HeismanTrophy.com. Archived from the original on 2013-10-04. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
- http://collegefootball.about.com/od/collegefootballawards/a/award-camp.htm
Further information
- The Year the Panthers Roared. Francis J. Fitzgerald, ed., Louisville, Kentucky, AdCraft Sports, 1996, ISBN 1-887761-06-3
- 1976 team where are they now?
- Pitt Magazine article
External links
Video
- 1976 Pitt at Notre Dame complete game video on YouTube: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3
- 1977 Sugar Bowl, Pitt vs Georgia for the national championship, first half video on YouTube: Part 1
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