# 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. 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).

## 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.
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. 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).
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. 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.
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. 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.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Rank | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 11 | 4:20 pm | at No. 11 Notre Dame | No. 9 | Notre Dame StadiumNotre Dame, IN (rivalry) | ABC | W 31–10 | 59,075 |
| September 18 | 7:30 pm | at Georgia Tech | No. 3 | Grant FieldAtlanta, GA | | W 42–14 | 43,424 |
| September 25 | 1:30 pm | Temple | No. 3 | Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA | | W 21–7 | 38,500 |
| October 2 | 1:30 pm | at Duke | No. 2 | Wallace Wade StadiumDurham, NC | | W 44–31 | 37,200 |
| October 9 | 1:30 pm | Louisville | No. 2 | Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA | | W 27–6 | 34,000 |
| October 16 | 1:30 pm | Miami (FL) | No. 2 | Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA | | W 36–19 | 42,434 |
| October 23 | 2:00 pm | at Navy | No. 2 | Navy–Marine Corps Memorial StadiumAnnapolis, MD | | W 45–0 | 26,346 |
| October 30 | 1:30 pm | Syracuse | No. 2 | Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA (rivalry) | | W 23–13 | 50,399 |
| November 6 | 1:30 pm | Army | No. 2 | Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA | | W 37–7 | 45,753 |
| November 13 | 1:30 pm | West Virginia | No. 1 | Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA (Backyard Brawl) | ABC | W 24–16 | 56,500 |
| November 26 | 9:00 pm | No. 16 Penn State | No. 1 | Three Rivers StadiumPittsburgh, PA (rivalry) | ABC | W 24–7 | 50,250 |
| January 1 | 12:30 pm | vs. No. 5 Georgia | No. 1 | Louisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans, LA (Sugar Bowl) | ABC | W 27–3 | 76,117 |
| HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||||

## Rankings
### AP Poll

| Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Final |
| 9 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |

### UPI Poll

| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | Final |
| 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |

## Game summaries
### At #11 Notre Dame

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 9 Panthers | 7 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 31 |
| No. 11 Fighting Irish | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
at Notre Dame Stadium • Notre Dame, Indiana
* Date: September 11
* Game time: 4:20 PM EDT
* Game attendance: 59,075
* Referee: Tom Paspalas
* TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson (play-by-play) and Ara Parseghian (color commentator)
| Statistics | PITT | ND |
| First downs | 12 | 20 |
| Total yards | 277 | 287 |
| Rushes/yards | 53–191 | 50–112 |
| Passing yards | 87 | 175 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 6–13–0 | 13–38–4 |
| Time of possession | | |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Pittsburgh | Passing | Robert Haygood | 5–12, 83 yards |
| Pittsburgh | Rushing | Tony Dorsett | 22 carries, 181 yards, 1 TD |
| Pittsburgh | Receiving | Jim Corbett | 4 receptions, 72 yards |
| Notre Dame | Passing | | |
| Notre Dame | Rushing | | |
| Notre Dame | Receiving | | |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Pittsburgh | Notre Dame |
| 1 | | | | | Notre Dame | McAfee 25-yard touchdown reception from Siager, Reeve kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 5-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 7 | 7 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Haygood 1-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 14 | 7 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Haygood 1-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 21 | 7 |
| 2 | | | | | Notre Dame | 53-yard field goal by Siager | 21 | 10 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 34-yard field goal by Long | 24 | 10 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Cavanaugh 8-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 31 | 10 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 31 | 10 |

### At Georgia Tech

Robert Haygood tore knee ligaments in the victory.
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 3 Panthers | 7 | 7 | 14 | 14 | 42 |
| Yellow Jackets | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at Grant Field • Atlanta, Georgia
* Date: September 18
* Game time: 7:30 PM EDT
* Game attendance: 43,424
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushes/yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Pittsburgh | Passing | | |
| Pittsburgh | Rushing | Tony Dorsett | 27 carries, 113 yards, 3 TD |
| Pittsburgh | Receiving | | |
| Georgia Tech | Passing | | |
| Georgia Tech | Rushing | | |
| Georgia Tech | Receiving | | |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Pittsburgh | Georgia Tech |
| 1 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 6-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 6-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 14 | 0 |
| 2 | | | | | Georgia Tech | Jolly 1-yard touchdown run, Smith kick good | 14 | 7 |
| 3 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Cavanaugh 4-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 21 | 7 |
| 3 | | | | | Georgia Tech | Rucker 1-yard touchdown run, Smith kick good | 21 | 14 |
| 3 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Jones 51-yard touchdown reception from Haygood, Long kick good | 28 | 14 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 10-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 35 | 14 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Jones 6-yard touchdown reception from Cavanaugh, Long kick good | 42 | 14 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 42 | 14 |

### Temple

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Owls | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| No. 3 Panthers | 0 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 21 |
at Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA
* Date: September 25
* Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
* Game attendance: 38,500
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushes/yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Temple | Passing |
| Temple | Rushing |
| Temple | Receiving |
| Pittsburgh | Passing |
| Pittsburgh | Rushing |
| Pittsburgh | Receiving |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Temple | Pittsburgh |
| 1 | | – | – | – | Temple | Johnson recovered blocked punt and returned 15 yards for a touchdown, Sornisky kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 50-yard field goal by Long | 7 | 3 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 33-yard field goal by Long | 7 | 6 |
| 3 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Walker 1-yard touchdown run, 2-point run good | 7 | 14 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 3-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 7 | 21 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 7 | 21 |

### At Duke

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 2 Panthers | 7 | 23 | 14 | 0 | 44 |
| Blue Devils | 7 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 31 |
at Wallace Wade Stadium • Durham, NC
* Date: October 2
* Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
* Game attendance: 37,200
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushes/yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Pittsburgh | Passing |
| Pittsburgh | Rushing |
| Pittsburgh | Receiving |
| Duke | Passing |
| Duke | Rushing |
| Duke | Receiving |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Pittsburgh | Duke |
| 1 | | | | | Duke | Gore 4-yard touchdown run, Fusco kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Taylor 66-yard touchdown reception from Cavanaugh, Long kick good | 7 | 7 |
| 2 | | – | – | – | Pittsburgh | Safety, blocked punt goes out of the end zone. | 9 | 7 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Taylor 10-yard touchdown reception from Cavanaugh, Long kick good | 16 | 7 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Corbett 27-yard touchdown reception from Cavanaugh, Long kick good | 23 | 7 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Jones 37-yard touchdown reception from Cavanaugh, Long kick good | 30 | 7 |
| 3 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Jones 27-yard touchdown reception from Cavanaugh, Long kick good | 37 | 7 |
| 3 | | | | | Duke | Barney 1-yard touchdown run, 2-point pass good | 37 | 15 |
| 3 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 4-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 44 | 15 |
| 3 | | | | | Duke | Williamson 55-yard touchdown reception from Dunn, 2-point pass good | 44 | 23 |
| 4 | | | | | Duke | Gore 1-yard touchdown run, 2-point run good | 44 | 31 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 44 | 31 |

### Louisville

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
| No. 2 Panthers | 10 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
at Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
* Date: October 9
* Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
* Game attendance: 34,000
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushes/yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Louisville | Passing | | |
| Louisville | Rushing | | |
| Louisville | Receiving | | |
| Pittsburgh | Passing | | |
| Pittsburgh | Rushing | Tony Dorsett | 30 carries, 130 yards |
| Pittsburgh | Receiving | | |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Louisville | Pittsburgh |
| 1 | 10:21 | | | | Pittsburgh | Cavanaugh 17-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 39-yard field goal by Long | 0 | 10 |
| 2 | 10:49 | | 52 | | Pittsburgh | Cavanaugh 6-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 0 | 17 |
| 2 | | – | – | – | Pittsburgh | Fumble recovery returned 0 yards for touchdown by Johnson, Long kick good | 0 | 24 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 30-yard field goal by Long | 0 | 27 |
| 4 | | – | – | – | Louisville | Fumble recovery returned 0 yards for touchdown by Abood, Turner kick no good | 6 | 27 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 6 | 27 |
Matt Cavanaugh sustained a hairline fracture in the left ankle during the first half.

### Miami (FL)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Hurricanes | 0 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 19 |
| No. 2 Panthers | 9 | 13 | 0 | 14 | 36 |
at Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA
* Date: October 16
* Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
* Game attendance: 42,434
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushes/yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Miami (FL) | Passing |
| Miami (FL) | Rushing |
| Miami (FL) | Receiving |
| Pittsburgh | Passing |
| Pittsburgh | Rushing |
| Pittsburgh | Receiving |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Miami (FL) | Pittsburgh |
| 1 | | – | – | – | Pittsburgh | Safety, Felder tackled Mason in end zone. | 0 | 2 |
| 1 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 3-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 0 | 9 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 25-yard field goal by Long | 0 | 12 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 29-yard field goal by Long | 0 | 15 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 40-yard touchdown reception from Yawcic, Long kick good | 0 | 22 |
| 3 | | | | | Miami (FL) | Johnson 3-yard touchdown run, 2-point run failed | 6 | 22 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Taylor 10-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 6 | 29 |
| 4 | | | | | Miami (FL) | Cain 75-yard touchdown reception from Glover, 2-point pass incomplete | 12 | 29 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 53-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 12 | 36 |
| 4 | | | | | Miami (FL) | Anderson 2-yard touchdown run, Dennis kick good | 19 | 36 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 19 | 36 |

### At Navy

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 2 Panthers | 7 | 7 | 10 | 21 | 45 |
| Midshipmen | 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
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushes/yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Pittsburgh | Passing | | |
| Pittsburgh | Rushing | Tony Dorsett | 27 carries, 180 yards, 3 TD |
| Pittsburgh | Receiving | | |
| Navy | Passing | | |
| Navy | Rushing | | |
| Navy | Receiving | | |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Pittsburgh | Navy |
| 1 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Corbett 30-yard touchdown reception from Yawcic, Long kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 6-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 14 | 0 |
| 3 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 40-yard field goal by Long | 17 | 0 |
| 3 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 69-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 24 | 0 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 21-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 31 | 0 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 32-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 38 | 0 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Sindewald 18-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 45 | 0 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 45 | 0 |

### Syracuse

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Orangemen | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 13 |
| No. 2 Panthers | 3 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 23 |
at Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA
* Date: October 30
* Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
* Game attendance: 50,399
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushes/yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Syracuse | Passing |
| Syracuse | Rushing |
| Syracuse | Receiving |
| Pittsburgh | Passing |
| Pittsburgh | Rushing |
| Pittsburgh | Receiving |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Syracuse | Pittsburgh |
| 1 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 41-yard field goal by Long | 0 | 3 |
| 1 | | | | | Syracuse | Magee 80-yard touchdown reception from Hurley, Jacobs kick good | 7 | 3 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 1-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 7 | 10 |
| 3 | | | | | Syracuse | 45-yard field goal by Jacobs | 10 | 10 |
| 3 | | | | | Syracuse | 55-yard field goal by Jacobs | 13 | 10 |
| 3 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 33-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 13 | 17 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 47-yard field goal by Long | 13 | 20 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 29-yard field goal by Long | 13 | 23 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 13 | 23 |

### Army

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cadets | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| No. 2 Panthers | 3 | 10 | 21 | 3 | 37 |
at Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA
* Date: November 6
* Game time: 1:30 PM EST
* Game attendance: 45,753
* Statistics
* First downs
* Total yards
* Rushes/yards
* Passing yards
* Passing: Comp–Att–Int
* Time of possession
| Team | Category |
| Army | Passing |
| Army | Rushing |
| Army | Receiving |
| Pittsburgh | Passing |
| Pittsburgh | Rushing |
| Pittsburgh | Receiving |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Army | Pittsburgh |
| 1 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 27-yard field goal by Long | 0 | 3 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 39-yard field goal by Long | 0 | 6 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 4-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 0 | 13 |
| 3 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 32-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 0 | 20 |
| 3 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 5-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 0 | 27 |
| 3 | | | | | Army | Logue 27-yard touchdown reception from Hall, Castelli kick good | 7 | 27 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Taylor 24-yard touchdown reception from Cavanaugh, Long kick good | 7 | 34 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 35-yard field goal by Long | 7 | 37 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 7 | 37 |

### West Virginia

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Mountaineers | 3 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 16 |
| No. 1 Panthers | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
at Pitt Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA
* Date: November 13
* Game time: 1:30 PM EST
* Game attendance: 56,500
* Referee: Raymond Bower
* TV announcers (ABC): Steve Zabriskie (play-by-play) and Lee Grosscup (color commentator)
| Statistics | WVU | PITT |
| First downs | 15 | 25 |
| Total yards | 169 | 399 |
| Rushes/yards | 44–99 | 63–350 |
| Passing yards | 70 | 49 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 8–24–1 | 8–14–0 |
| Time of possession | | |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| West Virginia | Passing | Dan Kendra | 8–24, 70 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT |
| West Virginia | Rushing | Walt Easley | 16 carries, 75 yards |
| West Virginia | Receiving | Steve Lewis | 6 receptions, 74 yards, 2 TD |
| Pittsburgh | Passing | Matt Cavanaugh | 8–14, 49 yards |
| Pittsburgh | Rushing | Tony Dorsett | 38 carries, 199 yards, 3 TD |
| Pittsburgh | Receiving | Jim Corbett | 4 receptions, 27 yards |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | West Virginia | Pittsburgh |
| 1 | 7:33 | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 17-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 1 | 0:50 | | | | West Virginia | 22-yard field goal by McKenzie | 3 | 7 |
| 2 | 12:32 | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 3-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 3 | 14 |
| 3 | 11:41 | | | | Pittsburgh | 27-yard field goal by Long | 3 | 17 |
| 3 | 4:03 | | | | West Virginia | Lewis 14-yard touchdown reception from Kendra, McKenzie kick good | 10 | 17 |
| 4 | 9:05 | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 30-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 10 | 24 |
| 4 | 3:11 | | | | West Virginia | Lewis 9-yard touchdown reception from Kendra, McKenzie kick no good | 16 | 24 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 16 | 24 |

### Vs. #16 Penn State

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 1 Panthers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 24 |
| No. 16 Nittany Lions | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Three Rivers Stadium • Pittsburgh, PA
* Date: November 26
* Game time: 9:00 PM EST
* Game attendance: 50,250
* Referee: Paul Bertha
* TV announcers (ABC): Chris Schenkel (play-by-play), Bud Wilkinson (color commentator) and Steve Zabriskie (sideline reporter)
| Statistics | PITT | PSU |
| First downs | 20 | 12 |
| Total yards | 419 | 241 |
| Rushes/yards | 65–278 | 41–106 |
| Passing yards | 141 | 135 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 8–17–2 | 9–19–4 |
| Time of possession | | |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Pittsburgh | Passing | Matt Cavanaugh | 8–16, 141 yards, 2 INT |
| Pittsburgh | Rushing | Tony Dorsett | 38 carries, 224 yards, 2 TD |
| Pittsburgh | Receiving | Gordon Jones | 4 receptions, 111 yards |
| Penn State | Passing | | |
| Penn State | Rushing | | |
| Penn State | Receiving | | |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Pittsburgh | Penn State |
| 1 | 11:59 | | | | Penn State | Torrey 21-yard touchdown reception from Fusina, Capozzoli kick good | 0 | 7 |
| 2 | 7:42 | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 6-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 7 | 7 |
| 3 | 13:23 | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 40-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 14 | 7 |
| 4 | 10:55 | | | | Pittsburgh | Walker 12-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 21 | 7 |
| 4 | 3:10 | | | | Pittsburgh | 47-yard field goal by Long | 24 | 7 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 24 | 7 |

### Vs. #5 Georgia (Sugar Bowl)

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| No. 1 Panthers | 7 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 27 |
| No. 5 Bulldogs | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
at Louisiana Superdome • New Orleans, LA
* Date: January 1
* Game time: 12:30 PM EST
* Game weather: indoors
* Game attendance: 76,177
* Referee: Vincent Buckley
* TV announcers (ABC): Keith Jackson (play-by-play), Ara Parseghian (color commentator) and Jim Lampley (sideline reporter)
| Statistics | PITT | UGA |
| First downs | 24 | 14 |
| Total yards | 480 | 181 |
| Rushes/yards | 66–288 | 40–135 |
| Passing yards | 192 | 46 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 10–18–0 | 3–22–4 |
| Time of possession | | |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Pittsburgh | Passing | Matt Cavanaugh | 10–18, 192 yards, 1 TD |
| Pittsburgh | Rushing | Tony Dorsett | 32 carries, 202 yards, 1 TD |
| Pittsburgh | Receiving | Willie Taylor | 4 receptions, 72 yards |
| Georgia | Passing | | |
| Georgia | Rushing | | |
| Georgia | Receiving | | |
Scoring summary :
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Drive | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | Score |
| Quarter | Time | Plays | Yards | TOP | Team | Scoring information | Pittsburgh | Georgia |
| 1 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Cavanaugh 6-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 7 | 0 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Jones 59-yard touchdown reception from Cavanaugh, Long kick good | 14 | 0 |
| 2 | | | | | Pittsburgh | Dorsett 11-yard touchdown run, Long kick good | 21 | 0 |
| 3 | | | | | Georgia | 25-yard field goal by Leavitt | 21 | 3 |
| 3 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 42-yard field goal by Long | 24 | 3 |
| 4 | | | | | Pittsburgh | 31-yard field goal by Long | 27 | 3 |
| "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 27 | 3 |

## 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

* Tony Dorsett, Heisman Trophy
* Tony Dorsett, Walter Camp Award
* Tony Dorsett, Maxwell Award
* Tony Dorsett, led the nation in rushing with 1,948 yards
* Tony Dorsett, All-America selection

## Media
### Radio

| Flagship station | Play-by-play | Color commentator | Sideline reporter | Studio host |
| WTAE–AM 1250 | Bill Hillgrove | John Sauer | | |