List of Pittsburgh Panthers football seasons

This is a list of Pittsburgh Panthers football seasons, national championships and quarterbacks. The Pittsburgh Panthers football team is the American football team of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. The Panthers have been members of the Atlantic Coast Conference since 2013. From 1991 to 2012 they were members of the Big East Conference. Before 1991 they competed as an independent.

The Panthers began play in 1890. In total, the University officially recognizes nine national championships. The university bases its claim for the five national championships from 1929 to 1937 on a 1967 article by Dan Jenkins of Sports Illustrated. The NCAA's record book lists Pittsburgh as being selected for a national championship by "major selectors" in eleven different seasons. Research by College Football Data Warehouse (CFBDW) has found that Pitt was selected as a national champion in 16 different seasons by at least one out of 80 selectors of titles. Of these, CFBDW names six as national championship seasons for the University of Pittsburgh.

Season records Season Record Bowl Results Awards AP Rank National championships References Overall Conference W L T Membership W L T Peak Final Selectors Source 1890 1 2 0 1891 2 5 0 1892 4 2 0 1893 1 4 0 1894 1 1 0 1895 1 6 0 1896 3 6 0 1897 1 3 0 1898 5 2 1 1899 3 1 1 1900 5 4 0 1901 7 2 1 1902 5 6 1 1903 1 8 1 1904 10 0 0 1905 10 2 0 1906 4 6 0 1907 9 1 0 1908 8 3 0 1909 6 2 1 1910 9 0 0 NCF CFBDW, NCAA 1911 4 3 1 1912 3 6 0 1913 6 2 1 1914 8 1 0 1915 8 0 0 PD NCAA, Pitt 1916 8 0 0 BR, HAF, HS, NCF, PD CFBDW, NCAA, Pitt 1917 9 0 0 1918 4 1 0 HAF, HS, NCF CFBDW, NCAA, Pitt 1919 6 2 1 1920 6 0 2 1921 5 3 1 1922 8 2 0 1923 5 4 0 1924 5 3 1 1925 8 1 0 1926 5 2 2 1927 8 1 1 L Rose Bowl 1928 6 2 1 1929 9 1 0 L Rose Bowl PD NCAA, Pitt 1930 6 2 1 1931 8 1 0 PD NCAA, Pitt 1932 8 1 2 L Rose Bowl 1933 8 1 0 1934 8 1 0 PD Pitt 1935 7 1 2 1936 8 1 1 W Rose Bowl #2 #3 BS, CFRA, HS CFBDW, NCAA, Pitt 1937 9 0 1 #1 #1 AP, BR, BS, CFRA, DiS, HS, L, NCF, PS, SR, WS CFBDW, NCAA, Pitt 1938 8 2 0 #1 #8 1939 5 4 0 #1 – 1940 3 4 1 – – 1941 3 6 0 – – 1942 3 6 0 – – 1943 3 5 0 – – 1944 4 5 0 – – 1945 3 7 0 – – 1946 3 5 1 – – 1947 1 8 0 – – 1948 6 3 0 – – 1949 6 3 0 #15 – 1950 1 8 0 – – 1951 3 7 0 – – 1952 6 3 0 #14 – 1953 3 5 1 #15 – 1954 4 5 0 #20 – 1955 7 4 0 L Sugar Bowl #7 #11 1956 7 3 1 L Gator Bowl #7 #13 1957 4 6 0 #16 – 1958 5 4 1 #7 – 1959 6 4 0 #16 #20 1960 4 3 3 #12 – 1961 3 7 0 – – 1962 5 5 0 – – 1963 9 1 0 #3 #4 1964 3 5 2 – – 1965 3 7 0 – – 1966 1 9 0 – – 1967 1 9 0 – – 1968 1 9 0 – – 1969 4 6 0 – – 1970 5 5 0 #15 – 1971 3 8 0 – – 1972 1 10 0 – – 1973 6 5 1 L Fiesta Bowl #20 – 1974 7 4 0 #8 #20 1975 8 4 0 W Sun Bowl #15 #15 1976 12 0 0 W Sugar Bowl #1 #1 AP, FN, FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF, PS, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI CFBDW, NCAA, Pitt 1977 9 2 1 W Gator Bowl #8 #8 1978 8 4 0 L Tangerine Bowl #9 – 1979 11 1 0 W Fiesta Bowl #7 #7 1980 11 1 0 W Gator Bowl #2 #2 CFRA, DeS, NYT, R(FACT), SR NCAA 1981 11 1 0 W Sugar Bowl #1 #4 NCF NCAA 1982 9 3 0 L Cotton Bowl Classic #1 #10 1983 8 3 1 L Fiesta Bowl #15 #18 1984 3 7 1 #17 – 1985 5 5 1 – – 1986 6 4 1 – – 1987 8 4 0 L Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl #16 – 1988 6 5 0 #16 – 1989 8 3 1 W John Hancock Bowl #7 #17 1990 3 7 1     #13 – 1991 6 5 0 Big East 3 2 0 #12 – 1992 3 9 0 Big East 1 3 0 – – 1993 3 8 0 Big East 2 5 0 – – 1994 3 8 0 Big East 2 5 0 – – 1995 2 9 0 Big East 0 7 0 – – 1996 4 7     Big East 3 4     – – 1997 6 6 Big East 4 3 L Liberty Bowl – – 1998 2 9 Big East 0 7 – – 1999 5 6 Big East 2 5 – – 2000 7 5 Big East 4 3 L Insight.com Bowl – – 2001 7 5 Big East 4 3 W Tangerine Bowl – – 2002 9 4 Big East 5 2 W Insight Bowl #17 #19 2003 8 5 Big East 5 2 L Continental Tire Bowl #9 – 2004 8 4 Big East 4 2 L Fiesta Bowl #19 #25 2005 5 6 Big East 4 3 #21 – 2006 6 6 Big East 2 5 – – 2007 5 7 Big East 3 4 – – 2008 9 4 Big East 5 2 L Sun Bowl #17 – 2009 10 3 Big East 5 2 W Meineke Car Care Bowl #8 #15 2010 8 5 Big East 5 2 W BBVA Compass Bowl #15 – 2011 6 7 Big East 4 3 L BBVA Compass Bowl – – 2012 6 7 Big East 3 4 L BBVA Compass Bowl – – 2013 7 6 ACC 3 5 W Little Caesars Pizza Bowl – – 2014 6 7 ACC 4 4 L Armed Forces Bowl – – 2015 8 5 ACC 6 2 L Military Bowl #23 – 2016 8 5 ACC 5 3 L Pinstripe Bowl #22 – 2017 5 7 ACC 3 5 – – 2018 7 7 ACC 6 2 L Sun Bowl #24 – 2019 8 5 ACC 4 4 W Quick Lane Bowl – – 2020 6 5 ACC 5 5 #21 – 2021 11 3 ACC 7 1 L Peach Bowl #13 #13 2022 9 4 ACC 5 3 W Sun Bowl #17 #22 2023 3 9 ACC 2 6 – – 2024 7 6 ACC 3 5 L GameAbove Sports Bowl #19 – 2025 8 5 ACC 6 2 L Military Bowl #23 – 2026 5 0 ACC 2 0 #25 –

Legend

CFBDW recognized National Championships NCAA record book listed & Pitt claimed National Championships National Championship listed in the NCAA record book but not claimed by Pitt National Championship claimed by Pitt but not listed in the NCAA record book Big East Conference Championship(1991–2012) ACC Coastal Division Championship(2013–2019, 2021–2022)ACC Conference Championship Game Appearance(2020, 2023–present) ACC Conference Championship(2013–present) Undefeated Season Polls have been the most prominent form of championship selection since the inception of the AP Poll in 1936. The following systems have at one point in their history have named Pitt as a national champion or are still active today. Retroactive designations are marked in italics.

Selector Name Years   Selector Name Years Mathematical Poll BCS* Bowl Championship Series 1998–2013 AP Associated Press 1936–present BR Billingsley Report 1869–1870, 1872–1969, 1970–2006 CFRA College Football Researchers Association 1919–1935, 1936–1981, 1982–1992 BS Boand System 1919–1929, 1930–1960 FN Football News 1958–2002 CCR Congrove Computer Rankings 1993–Present FWAA Football Writers Association of America 1954–present DeS DeVold System 1939–1944, 1945–2006 HAF Helms Athletic Foundation 1883–1935, 1936–1940, 1941–1982 DiS Dickinson System 1924–1925, 1926–1940 NCF National Championship Foundation 1869–1870, 1872–1935, 1936–1979, 1980–2000 HS Houlgate System 1885, 1887–1905, 1907–1926, 1927–1949 NFF† National Football Foundation 1959–1990, 1995–present L Litkenhous 1934–1972, 1974, 1978, 1981–1984 SN Sporting News 1975–2006 NYT New York Times 1979–2004 UPI* United Press International 1950–1990, 1993–1995 PS Poling System 1924–1934, 1935–1955, 1957–1984 USAT*†‡ USA Today 2006–present R(FACT) Rothman (FACT) 1968–2006 * The USA Today (USAT) Coaches' Poll is used as part of the BCS formula.† The NFF merged with UPI from 1991–1992 and was known as the UPI/NFF. Prior to 1991 the UPI had published the Coaches' Poll, which has been published by USA Today under various names and sponsorships since 1991.‡ The USA Today Poll was sponsored by CNN from 1982–1996, known as CNN/USA Today, and ESPN from 1997–2005, known as the ESPN/USA Today. The NFF briefly merged with USA Today poll from 1993–1994 and was known as the USAT/NFF. SR Sagarin Ratings 1919–1977, 1978–2006 WS Williamson System 1931, 1932–1963 Research PD Parke H. Davis 1869–1870, 1872–1909, 1911–1916, 1919–1932, 1933

National championships

The University of Pittsburgh claims nine national championships for the Panthers football team: four that are mostly unanimous, (1916, 1918, 1937, and 1976) and five shared titles (1915, 1929, 1931, 1934, 1936). Parke Davis was the only major selector of four of the titles, including the 1934 selection attributed to him after his pre-season death.

The University bases its claim for the first eight national championships on a 1967 article by Dan Jenkins of Sports Illustrated. These championships, together with its unanimous championship of 1976, are the basis for the university's claim of nine national championship seasons.

Furthermore, according to research conducted by the College Football Data Warehouse,College Football Data Warehouse: Pittsburgh All National Championships, accessdate=2008-11-28 in eight additional years at least one out of 80 selectors of national titles has declared Pitt as its national champion. Combined with the Sports Illustrated article, Pitt has been recognized as the national champion by at least one selector in 17 different seasons. According to the NCAA Division 1 Football Records Book, Pitt has been named a national champion by a "Major Selector" in 11 separate seasons.The National Collegiate Athletic Association, 2008 NCAA Division 1 Football Records Book, 2008-08, pg 76, , accessdate=2008-11-28

Note: The table lists all known national championship selections for the University of Pittsburgh. The list of national championship selecting organizations choosing Pitt for any particular year is not necessarily comprehensive. For more information see College Football Data Warehouse Total National Championships. All selections for seasons before 1927 were made retrospectively, as were many later selections. Additional notations include the following: Pitt: national championship selections are officially recognized by the University NCAA: Selection as national champions by organizations designated as "Major Selectors" in the official NCAA football records bookOfficial 2007 NCAA Division 1 Records Book, p.74 CFBDW: Designation as "CFBDW Recognized National Champions" according to College Football Data Warehouse. Pittsburgh Panthers national championships Season Coach Record Selectors Recognized1910 Joseph H. Thompson 9–0 1st-N-Goal Century Football Index Cliff Morgan Mel Smith National Championship Foundation* Patrick Premo NCAA CFBDW1915 Glenn Scobey Warner 8–0 Bill Libby Jim Koger Mel Smith Parke H. Davis* NCAA Pitt1916 Glenn Scobey Warner 8–0 Billingsley Report* Helms Athletic Foundation* Houlgate System* National Championship Foundation* Parke Davis * 17 minor selectors NCAA Pitt CFBDW1917 GlennScobey Warner 10–0 Alexander Weyand David Wilson Earl Jessen Jim Koger Mel Smith Nutshell Sports Football Ratings 1918 Glenn Scobey Warner 4–1 Helms Athletic Foundation* Houlgate System* National Championship Foundation* 14 minor selectors NCAA Pitt CFBDW1925 Jock Sutherland 8–1 Soren Sorensen 1927 Jock Sutherland 8–1–1 Esso Gas 1929 Jock Sutherland 9–1 Parke H. Davis* NCAA Pitt1931 Jock Sutherland 8–1 1st-N-Goal Bob Kirlin Parke H. Davis* NCAA Pitt1933 Jock Sutherland 8–1 Bob Kirlin 1934 Jock Sutherland 8–1 Parke H. Davis' successor Pitt1936 Jock Sutherland 8–1–1 1st-N-Goal Angelo Louisa Boand System* Bob Kirlin College Football Researchers Association* Earl Jessen Esso Gas Houlgate System* Jim Koger Loren Maxwell Patrick Premo NCAA Pitt CFBDW1937 Jock Sutherland 9–0–1 consensus (12 major selectors, 15 minor selectors) NCAA Pitt CFBDW 1938 Jock Sutherland 8–2 Patrick Premo 1976 Johnny Majors 12–0 consensus (12 major selectors, 19 minor selectors) NCAA Pitt CFBDW 1980 Jackie Sherrill 11–1 1st-N-Goal Angelo Louisa ARGH Power Ratings College Football Researchers Association* Foundation for the Analysis of Competitions and Tournaments* Harry DeVold* James Howell Jeff Self New York Times* Quality Champions Sagarin Ratings* Steve Eck The Fleming System NCAA1981 Jackie Sherrill 11–1 Montgomery Full Season Championship National Championship Foundation* NCAA * NCAA-designated "major selector"

The following table summarizes the source and totals for Pitt's national championship seasons.