The 1955 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh as an independent during the 1955 college football season. The Panthers were led by first-year head coach John Michelosen and played their home games at Pitt Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
In a season that included upsets over top-ten teams Duke and rival West Virginia, Pitt had their most successful season in years. The Panthers finished ranked in the polls for the first time since 1938 and played in their first bowl game since the 1937 Rose Bowl.
Pittsburgh was invited to the 1956 Sugar Bowl, played against Georgia Tech. Intense controversy surrounded the bowl game, as Pittsburgh had a black player, Bobby Grier, at a time when the sport was not fully integrated. Many people opposed Pittsburgh playing in the bowl, and having desegregated seating sections in the stands, including Georgia governor Marvin Griffin. Georgia's Governor publicly threatened Georgia Tech's president Blake R. Van Leer in an attempt to bar Grier or stop the game. The game ultimately was played without incident, and marked the first integrated Sugar Bowl.
Schedule
Preseason
On December 5, the Sun-Telegraph reported that John Michelosen was the front runner for the Pitt head coaching job: “The former Pitt quarterback, who became an aide to the late Dr. Jock Sutherland and Steeler head coach and assistant to the resigned Red Dawson the past two seasons, is the choice of the Panthers' Varsity Letterman's Club, the Pitt players and legions of alumni members of the university." On December 6, Athletic Director Tom Hamilton announced that John Michelosen had been approved by the Athletic Committee, the Board of Trustees and Chancellor Rufus Fitzgerald to be the eighth head coach of the University of Pittsburgh since the departure of Jock Sutherland in 1938.
Coach Michelosen retained Ernie Hefferle, Steve Petro, Robert Timmons and Walt Cummins from Dawson's staff, and added Jack Wiley and Victor Fusia.
March 21 was the official start of the NCAA sanctioned 20-day spring practice session. Michelosen welcomed a squad of 70, including 22 lettermen, to the drills. The Panthers concluded the session with a high school coaches clinic and an intrasquad scrimmage on April 23.
Pitt's opening game was on September 17 (earliest in history) and the NCAA ruled that fall practice started on September 1. The Panthers two-week preseason training took place on campus at Ellsworth Field for the fourth straight year.
Game summaries California
On September 17 – John Michelosen coached his first game as Pitt head coach; the California Golden Bears played the Pitt Panthers for the first time, and the Cal Bears opened their season on the road for the first time in their history. The Bears were coached for the ninth year by future College Football Hall of Famer Pappy Waldorf. They only returned 9 lettermen from their 5–5 previous season.
Pitt, with 22 lettermen returning, was a touchdown favorite. Coach Michelosen started 9 holdovers from the previous year. He replaced Al Bolcovac with Bill Schmitt at guard and Corny Salvaterra with Darrell Lewis at quarterback. A Hall of Fame ceremony took place at halftime for Bob Peck, Pitt's first All-American. The Sun-Telegraph published a map of parking lots available for game day parking.
With the temperature gauge reading 92 degrees, the Pitt Panthers opened the season with a 27–7 victory over the visiting Cal Bears. In the first quarter Cal recovered a Pitt fumble on their own 45-yard line. Their 55-yard scoring drive was capped with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Hugh Maguire to Bill Vallotton. Nick Poppin kicked the extra point. Pitt tied the score with seconds left in the first half on a 2-yard run by Bobby Grier, and an extra point by Darrell Lewis. After a scoreless third quarter, the Panthers ended a 66-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Corny Salvaterra to Dick Bowen. Ambrose Bagamery converted the placement. Then Pitt end Fred Glatz recovered a fumble on the Cal 9-yard line. Bowen scored on first down, and John Paluck kicked the extra point. The final score was Bobby Grier's 33-yard run with less than five minutes to play. Pete Neft missed the extra point.
Even though they fumbled 8 times and lost 5, Pitt's offense earned 16 first downs and gained 355 yards. Their defense held Cal to 4 first downs and 85 yards. Bobby Grier (57 yards) and Corky Cost (56 yards) were Pitt's rushing leaders. Corny Salvaterra completed 5 of 9 passes for 81 yards.
The Pitt starting lineup for the game against California was Joe Walton (left end), Bob Pollock (left tackle), Harold Hunter (left guard), John Cenci (center), Bill Schmitt (right guard), Herman Canil (right tackle), John Paluck (right end), Darrell Lewis (quarterback), Corky Cost (left halfback), Lou Cimarolli (right halfback) and Bobby Grier (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Fred Glatz, Bob Kiesel, Jim McCusker, Howard Linn, Vince Scorsone, John Guzik, Ed Bose, Charles Brueckman, Don Agafon, Al Bolkovac, Dan Wisneiwski, Ronnie Kissel, Bob Rosborough, Dale Brown, Corny Salvaterra, Pete Neft, Jim Theodore, Dick Bowen, Ralph Jelic, Ray DiPasquale, Ambrose Bagamery, Tom Jenkins and Ralph Ciper.
at Syracuse
On September 24, the Panthers traveled to upstate New York to play the Syracuse Orangemen. The teams last met in 1930, and the Panthers led the all-time series 6–2–2. Syracuse was led by seventh-year coach Ben Schwartzwalder. This was the Orangemen's opening game. Future Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown headlined the Syracuse lineup.
In spite of the rain and foggy weather, the #7 ranked Panthers won their second game in a row by beating the Orangemen 22–12. In the first period Syracuse advanced the ball to the Panthers 6-yard line, but the Panthers defense stiffened and took over on downs. In the second period, Pitt quarterback Darrell Lewis fumbled, and Syracuse recovered on the Pitt 26-yard line. On fourth and ten from the 16-yard line Ed Albright threw a touchdown pass to Jim Ridlon. Jim Brown missed the extra point. Pitt halfback Corky Cost returned the kick-off to the 34-yard line. The Panthers took 11 plays to travel 66 yards for the touchdown. Fullback Tom Jenkins scored from the 8-yard line, and Ambrose Bagamery added the extra point. Pitt led at halftime 7–6. Early in the third quarter Syracuse quarterback Albright completed a 64-yard pass to Bill Micho to put Syracuse back in the lead, 12–7, as Jim Brown's kick was wide left. Pitt gained possession on the Syracuse 31 after a Syracuse punt. On third down Corny Salvaterra threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Joe Walton. Bagamery missed the extra point, but Pitt led again 13–12. Pitt guard Harold Hunter recovered a fumble on the ensuing kick-off, and the Pitt offense was back in control on the Syracuse 45-yard line. Pete Neft engineered an 11-play drive that he ended with a 1-yard quarterback sneak. Bagamery added the point after for a 20–12 Pitt lead. Pitt end Bob Rosborough ended the Pitt scoring by tackling Syracuse back Fred Kuczala in the end zone for a safety.
The Panthers gained 230 yards to 190 for Syracuse. Pitt's Dick Bowen ran 10 times for 46 yards; Corky Cost carried 6 times for 39 yards; Ralph Jelic and Tom Jenkins both ran 7 times for 27 yards. Corny Salvaterra completed 1 pass for 29 yards. The Panthers held Jim Brown to 28 yards on 12 carries.
The Pitt starting lineup for the game against Syracuse was Joe Walton (left end), Bob Pollock (left tackle), Harold Hunter (left guard), John Cenci (center), Bill Schmitt (right guard), Herman Canil (right tackle), John Paluck (right end), Corny Salvaterra (quarterback), Corky Cost (left halfback), Ralph Jelic (right halfback) and Bobby Grier (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Fred Glatz, Bob Kiesel, Jim McCusker, Howard Linn, Vince Scorsone, John Guzik, Ed Bose, Charles Brueckman, Al Bolkovac, Dan Wisneiwski, Ronnie Kissel, Bob Rosborough, Dale Brown, Darrell Lewis, Pete Neft, Dick Bowen, Ray DiPasquale, Ambrose Bagamery, Lou Cimarolli, Tom Jenkins and Ralph Ciper.
at Oklahoma
On October 1, the Panthers traveled to Norman, Oklahoma to play Bud Wilkinson's Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners were on a 20-game win streak, since Pitt tied them 7–7 in 1953. Oklahoma led the all-time series 1–0–1. The Sooners roster had six future All-Americans: halfbacks Tommy McDonald and Clendon Thomas, guards Bo Bolinger, Ed Gray and Bill Krisher and center Jerry Tubbs. They opened their season with a victory over North Carolina and were ranked #5.
After their opening victory over California, the Panthers were ranked #7. After beating Syracuse to go 2–0, they were ranked #12. The Panther contingent arrived in Norman on Friday afternoon by chartered plane. Coach Michelosen held a workout on Owen Field. They stayed in Norman at the Lockett Hotel. Coach Michelosen used the same starting lineup as the Syracuse game.
Oklahoma ran their winning streak to 21 with a 26–14 victory over the Panthers. Oklahoma scored three touchdowns in the first half to build a 19–0 halftime lead. Tommy McDonald ran 43-yards for the first touchdown. Robert Burris plunged in from the 1-yard line for the second score, and Clendon Thomas raced 32-yards for the third. Jim Harris converted one extra point. The Panther offense answered in the second half by scoring two unanswered touchdowns. The first was an 18-yard scoring pass from Corny Salvaterra to Joe Walton. Then Corky Cost capped a 10-play drive with a 1-yard run. Ambrose Bagamery was good on both placements, as Pitt cut the lead to 19–14. With less than 10 minutes remaining, the Panthers regained possession on their 20-yard line, but stalled on the 39 and had to punt. Oklahoma needed 8 plays for McDonald to score his second touchdown and run out the clock. Harris converted the placement.
Corny Salvaterra led the Pitt running attack with 67 yards on 13 carries. Corky Cost gained 51 yards on 13 carries. Salvaterra also completed 8 of 18 passes for 78 yards. Oklahoma's Tommy McDonald led all rushers with 124 yards on 11 carries, and he completed 2 of 5 passes for 39 yards.
The Pitt starting lineup for the game against Oklahoma was Joe Walton (left end), Bob Pollock (left tackle), Harold Hunter (left guard), John Cenci (center), Bill Schmitt (right guard), Herman Canil (right tackle), John Paluck (right end), Corny Salvaterra (quarterback), Corky Cost (left halfback), Ralph Jelic (right halfback) and Bobby Grier (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Fred Glatz, Jim McCusker, Howard Linn, Vince Scorsone, Ed Bose, Al Bolkovac, Ronnie Kissel, Bob Rosborough, Darrell Lewis, Pete Neft, Dick Bowen, Ray DiPasquale, Ambrose Bagamery, Lou Cimarolli, Nick Passodelis, Tom Jenkins and Ralph Ciper.
at Navy
On October 8, the Panthers third road trip in a row was to Baltimore, MD to play the Midshipmen of the Naval Academy. Pitt upset the Eastern champion Middies 21–19 in 1954 and led the all-time series 6–1–1. The 1955 Sugar Bowl champs were led by sixth-year Coach Eddie Erdelatz. They opened their season 2–0 and were ranked #12. Ron Beagle (end) and George Welsh (quarterback) earned All-American honors.
Coach Michelosen made two changes to the starting lineup. Guard Herman Canil injured his knee against Oklahoma and was replaced by Ronnie Kissel, and Tom Jenkins replaced Bobby Grier at fullback.