1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football team

1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football
250 x 141
Consensus national champion
Sugar Bowl champion
Eastern champion
Sugar Bowl, W 27–3 vs. Georgia
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 1
APNo. 1
Record12–0
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJoe Avezzano (1st season)
Offensive schemeVeer
Defensive coordinatorBobby Roper (1st season)
Base defenseBasic 50
Home stadiumPitt Stadium
Seasons
← 1975
1977 →
1976 NCAA Division I independents football records
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
Southern Illinois     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
Marshall     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
  • North Texas State (originally 6–5) was awarded a forfeit win after Mississippi State was found to be using an ineligible player.[1]
Rankings from AP Poll

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. The Panthers played their home games at Pitt Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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
A football signed by the 1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football team, including Tony Dorsett and head coach Johnny Majors.
  1. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1976-standings.html
  2. ^ Official 2009 NCAA Division I Football Records Book (PDF). Indianapolis: The National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2009. p. 85. Retrieved October 16, 2009.