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Pittsburgh Panthers
®
Head coach	Dave Wannstedt
	3rd year, 13–14
Home stadium	Heinz Field
	Capacity 65,050 - Grass
Conference	Big East
First year	1889
Athletic director	Steve Pederson
Website	PittsburghPanthers.com
Team records
All-time record	645–471–41 (.577)
Postseason bowl record	10–14
Awards
Wire national titles	9 claimed, 2 AP
Conference titles	1
Heisman winners	1
All-Americans	85 (1st team), 49 consensus
Pageantry
Colors	Blue and Gold
Fight song	Hail to Pitt and Pitt Victory Song
Mascot	Panther
Marching band	University of Pittsburgh Varsity Marching Band
Major Rivals	West Virginia, Penn State, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Cincinnati

Traditionally the most popular sport at the University of Pittsburgh is football, at which Pitt has competed at the highest levels since 1889. During the more than 100 years of competitive football at Pitt, the university has fielded some of the greatest all-time teams, players and coaches.

The University of Pittsburgh officially claims 9 National Championships for the Panthers football team: 4 unanimous ones (1916, 1918, 1937, and 1976) and 5 shared titles (1915, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936). The University of Pittsburgh bases its claim for the first 8 national championships on a study conducted in 1970 by Sports Illustrated[1]. These championships, together with its unanimous championship of 1976, are the basis for the university's claim of 9 national championship seasons. Furthermore, in 8 additional years at least one recognized selector of national championships has declared Pitt a National Champion. In total Pitt has been recognized as the National Champion by at least one selector in a total of 17 different seasons[2][3][4]:

• 1981 (Montgomery, NCF)
• 1980 (FNG, Louisa, ARGH, CFR, FACT, DeVold, Howell, Self, NYT, Sagarin, Eck, Fleming)
• 1976 (consensus)
• 1938 (Premo)
• 1937 (consensus)
• 1936 (FNG, Louisa, ARGH, Boand, Kirlin, CFRA, Jessen, Esso, Houlgate, Koger, Maxwell, Premo)
• 1934 (Davis)
• 1933 (Kirlin)
• 1931 (FNG, Kirlin, Davis)
• 1929 (Davis)
• 1927 (Esso)
• 1925 (Sorenson)
• 1918 (consensus)
• 1917 (Weyand, Wilson, Jessen, Koger, Smith, NSF)
• 1916 (consensus)
• 1915 (Libby, Koger, Smith, Davis)
• 1910 (Century, Morgan, Smith, Premo, NCF, FNG)

Bold is claimed by Pitt.

Pitt has had 8 undefeated seasons: 1904 (10-0), 1910 (9-0), 1915 (8-0), 1916 (8-0), 1917 (10-0), 1920 (6-0-2), 1937 (9-0-1), and 1976 (12-0). Of these 8 undefeated seasons, 4 are not claimed as national championship seasons by Pitt.

Pitt has also had 17 one-loss seasons (1894, 1899, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1927, 1929, 1931-1936, 1963, and 1979-1981). Pitt won Eastern football titles in 1925, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1936*, 1937*, 1955*, 1976*, 1979*, 1980*, and won a co-share of the Big East Conference championship and received a BCS bowl berth in 2004.
*Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy (est. 1936) winner

Pitt beat West Virginia 11-0 in this November 11, 1908 game at Exposition Park.

In 1956, Pitt integrated the Sugar Bowl when the Panther's Bobby Grier became the first to break the Sugar Bowl's color-barrier.

The football team played at Recreation Park until 1899[5][6], before starting play at Exposition Park in 1900[7]. The Panthers then played at Forbes Field from 1909 to 1924, until the completion of their own Pitt Stadium in 1925. Following the demolition of Pitt Stadium, the Panthers moved to Three Rivers Stadium for the 2000 seson, and then into Heinz Field, in 2001, where they currently play.

The upper section of the Cathedral of Learning is illuminated "gold" after a football team victory, as opposed to the everyday white spotlights.

Pitt Football has a long history. Tony Dorsett, Mike Ditka, Dan Marino, Tony Siragusa, Mark May, Curtis Martin, Beano Cook, Johnny Majors, Russ Grimm and Jimmy Johnson are just some of the alumni, coaches, and staff that have achieved prominence. Current NFL stars with Pitt Panther ties include NY Jet Kevan Barlow, NY Jet Darrelle Revis, Cardinal Larry Fitzgerald, former Charger coach Marty Schottenheimer, and Bucs coach Jon Gruden.

Pitt Panthers football has also garnered attention when Bobby Grier became the first African-American player to break the Bowl game color-barrier in 1956.[8]

Former NFL head coach and Pitt alum Dave Wannstedt was hired in late 2004 as head football coach, hopes are high in Pittsburgh that Wannstedt will rejuvenate the program.

Long-standing football rivalries with West Virginia University, known as the Backyard Brawl, University of Notre Dame, and the new River City Rivalry with the University of Cincinnati also highlight Pitt's resume. Pitt's historical rival was Penn State, though the two teams have not met in recent years due to scheduling disputes between the two schools.

The Pitt Panthers have a long history of producing top football talent. There are four Pitt Panthers that are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame:

• Dan Marino
• Tony Dorsett
• Mike Ditka
• Joe Schmidt

The College Football Hall of Fame has also recognized the Pitt program with 24 Panthers inducted. Bold lettering indicates their jersey was retired by the University:

• Bill Fralic (1981-84)
• Dan Marino (1979-82)
• Jimbo Covert (1979-82)
• Mark May (1977-80)
• Hugh Green (1977-80)
• Tony Dorsett (1973-76)
• Johnny Majors (1973-76,93-96)
• Mike Ditka (1958-60)
• Eddie Thulln(1958-60)
• Joe Schmidt (1950-52)
• Len Casanova (1950)
• Wes Fesler (1946)
• Marshall Goldberg (1936-38)
• Averell Daniell (1934-36)
• Joe Skladany (1931-33)
• Joseph Donchess (1927-29)
• Pop Warner (1915-23)
• Herb Stein (1918-21)
• Tom Davies (1918-21)
• Jock Sutherland (1914-17,24-38)
• Herb McCracken (1918-20)
• George McLaren (1915-18)
• Robert Peck (1913-16)
• Hube Wagner (1910-13)
• Joe Thompson (1904-06,08-12)

Pitt has produced 85 1st team All-Americans (49 consensus All-Americans). Only 6 other schools have produced more consensus All-Americans than the University of Pittsburgh.[9]

• Draftees are listed for their final season of play (a year before they are drafted)
• The use of yellow color indicates a team that either had a non-losing record or was ranked at some point during the season.
• Rank listed is the highest rank attained during that particular season. It does not reflect the final ranking for the season. For example, the 1984 team started off the season highly ranked, but then proceeded to finish 3-7-1.

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