2016 Pittsburgh Panthers football team

2016 Pittsburgh Panthers football
ConferenceAtlantic Coast Conference
DivisionCoastal Division
Record8–5 (5–3 ACC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMatt Canada (1st season)
Offensive schemePro-style
Defensive coordinatorJosh Conklin (2nd season)
Base defense4–3
Home stadiumHeinz Field
Seasons
← 2015
2017 →
2016 Atlantic Coast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Atlantic Division
No. 1 Clemson xy$#   7 1     14 1  
No. 21 Louisville x   7 1     9 4  
No. 8 Florida State   5 3     10 3  
NC State   3 5     7 6  
Wake Forest   3 5     7 6  
Boston College   2 6     7 6  
Syracuse   2 6     4 8  
Coastal Division
No. 16 Virginia Tech xy   6 2     10 4  
North Carolina   5 3     8 5  
No. 20 Miami (FL)   5 3     9 4  
Pittsburgh   5 3     8 5  
Georgia Tech   4 4     9 4  
Duke   1 7     4 8  
Virginia   1 7     2 10  
Championship: Clemson 42, Virginia Tech 35
  • # – College Football Playoff champion
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
Rankings from AP Poll

The 2016 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Panthers were led by second-year head coach Pat Narduzzi and played their home games at Heinz Field. They were a member of the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The season marked Pitt's fourth season as a member of the ACC. The Panthers finished the season 8–5, 5–3 in ACC play to finish in a three-way tie for second place in the Coastal Division. The Panthers received an invitation to the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium where they lost to Northwestern 31–24.[1][2]

On September 10, 2016, the Panthers played their in-state rivals Penn State for the first time since 2000, where they were victorious, 42–39. Penn State had won seven of the previous eight games between the two schools.

  1. ^ "Northwestern outpaces high-powered Pitt in thrilling Pinstripe Bowl". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  2. ^ "Banged-up Panthers fall to Northwestern in Pinstripe Bowl, 31–24". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved September 18, 2017.