1981 Pittsburgh Panthers football
National champion (NCF)
Sugar Bowl champion
Sugar Bowl, W 24–20 vs. Georgia
ConferenceIndependent
Ranking
CoachesNo. 2
APNo. 4
Record11–1
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJoe Moore (1st season)
Offensive schemeMultiple pro-style
Defensive coordinatorFoge Fazio (3rd season)
Base defenseMultiple front
Home stadiumPitt Stadium
1981 NCAA Division I-A independents football records
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 4 Pittsburgh      11 1 0
No. 3 Penn State      10 2 0
No. 8 Miami (FL)      9 2 0
Southern Miss      9 2 1
No. 17 West Virginia      9 3 0
Colgate      7 3 0
Virginia Tech      7 4 0
Navy      7 4 1
Cincinnati      6 5 0
Florida State      6 5 0
Holy Cross      6 5 0
Tulane      6 5 0
UNLV      6 6 0
South Carolina      6 6 0
Temple      5 5 0
Boston College      5 6 0
East Carolina      5 6 0
Northeast Louisiana      5 6 0
Louisville      5 6 0
Notre Dame      5 6 0
Rutgers      5 6 0
William & Mary      5 6 0
Syracuse      4 6 1
Richmond      4 7 0
Army      3 7 1
North Texas State      2 9 0
Georgia Tech      1 10 0
Memphis State      1 10 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1981 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1981 NCAA Division I-A football season. The one-loss Panthers were selected as national champion by NCAA-designated major selector National Championship Foundation[1] and also by Montgomery Full Season Championship.[2] The school does not claim a national championship for this season.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 51:30 p.m.IllinoisNo. 8W 26–646,022
September 191:30 p.m.CincinnatiNo. 7
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA (River City Rivalry)
W 38–740,172
October 33:50 p.m.at South CarolinaNo. 4ABCW 42–2856,495
October 101:30 p.m.at West VirginiaNo. 4W 17–054,280
October 171:30 p.m.No. 11 Florida StateNo. 3
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA
W 42–1455,112
October 241:30 p.m.SyracusedaggerNo. 2
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)
USAW 23–1050,330
October 311:00 p.m.at Boston CollegeNo. 2W 29–2425,500
November 71:00 p.m.at RutgersNo. 1W 47–334,636
November 141:30 p.m.ArmyNo. 1
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA
W 48–053,225
November 211:30 p.m.at TempleNo. 1USAW 35–032,570
November 2812:25 p.m.No. 11 Penn StateNo. 1
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)
ABCL 14–4860,260
January 18:00 p.m.vs. No. 2 GeorgiaNo. 10ABCW 24–2077,224[3]

Roster

1981 Pittsburgh Panthers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos.#NameClass
G 70 Emil Boures Sr
OT 75 Jimbo Covert Jr
QB 13 Dan Marino Jr
G 77 Ron Sams Jr
Defense
Pos.#NameClass
DB 5 Tom Flynn So
DB 26 Tim Lewis Jr
DT 71 Bill Maas So
Special teams
Pos.#NameClass
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Coaching staff

1981 Pittsburgh Panthers football staff
Coaching staff
  • Jackie Sherrill – Head coach
  • Foge Fazio – Assistant head coach/defensive coordinator/linebackers
  • Joe Moore – Offensive coordinator/offensive line
  • Joe Daniels – Quarterbacks
  • Bob Davie – Drop Backs
  • Joe Naunchik – Receivers
  • George Pugh – Tight ends
  • Andy Urbanic – Running backs
  • Ray Zingler – Rush Ends
  Support staff
  • Alex Kramer – Administrative assistant
  • Kevin Dickey – Recruiting doordinator
  • Anthony Folino – Part-Time Assistant–Defensive Backs
  • Bob Matey – Part-Time Assistant–Defensive Line
  • Jim Miceli – Part-Time Assistant–Defensive Line
  • Michael Sherman – Part-Time Assistant–Offensive Line
  • Steve Heintzelman – Volunteer coach
  Strength and conditioning staff
  • Buddy Morris – Weight training coordinator

Game summaries

Illinois

Illinois Fighting Illini at No. 8 Pittsburgh Panthers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Fighting Illini 0 6 006
No. 8 Panthers 14 0 10226

at Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA

  • Date: September 5
  • Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
  • Game attendance: 46,022
StatisticsILLPITT
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Illinois Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Pittsburgh Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Cincinnati

Cincinnati Bearcats at No. 7 Pittsburgh Panthers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Bearcats 0 0 077
No. 7 Panthers 21 0 10738

at Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA

  • Date: September 19
  • Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
  • Game attendance: 40,172
StatisticsUCPITT
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Cincinnati Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Pittsburgh Passing
Rushing
Receiving

At South Carolina

No. 4 Pittsburgh Panthers at South Carolina Gamecocks – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
No. 4 Panthers 14 14 14042
Gamecocks 0 0 21728

at Williams–Brice StadiumColumbia, SC

StatisticsPITTS CAR
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Pittsburgh Passing
Rushing
Receiving
South Carolina Passing
Rushing
Receiving

At West Virginia

No. 4 Pittsburgh Panthers at West Virginia Mountaineers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
No. 4 Panthers 0 7 10017
Mountaineers 0 0 000

at Mountaineer FieldMorgantown, WV

  • Date: October 10
  • Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
  • Game attendance: 54,280
StatisticsPITTWVU
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Pittsburgh Passing
Rushing
Receiving
West Virginia Passing
Rushing
Receiving

#11 Florida State

No. 11 Florida State Seminoles at No. 3 Pittsburgh Panthers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
No. 11 Seminoles 0 7 7014
No. 3 Panthers 7 14 14742

at Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA

  • Date: October 17
  • Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
  • Game attendance: 55,112
StatisticsFSUPITT
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Florida State Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Pittsburgh Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Syracuse

Syracuse Orangemen at No. 2 Pittsburgh Panthers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Orangemen 10 0 0010
No. 2 Panthers 0 17 0623

at Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA

  • Date: October 24
  • Game time: 1:30 PM EDT
  • Game attendance: 50,330
  • TV: USA
StatisticsSYRPITT
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Syracuse Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Pittsburgh Passing
Rushing
Receiving

At Boston College

No. 2 Pittsburgh Panthers at Boston College Eagles – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
No. 2 Panthers 7 13 9029
Eagles 3 7 7724

at Alumni StadiumChestnut Hill, MA

  • Date: October 31
  • Game time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game attendance: 25,500
StatisticsPITTBC
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Pittsburgh Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Boston College Passing
Rushing
Receiving

At Rutgers

No. 1 Pittsburgh Panthers at Rutgers Scarlet Knights – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
No. 1 Panthers 0 14 141947
Scarlet Knights 3 0 003

at Giants StadiumEast Rutherford, NJ

  • Date: November 7
  • Game time: 1:00 PM EST
  • Game attendance: 34,636
StatisticsPITTRUT
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Pittsburgh Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Rutgers Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Army

Army Cadets at No. 1 Pittsburgh Panthers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Cadets 0 0 000
No. 1 Panthers 14 7 20748

at Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA

  • Date: November 14
  • Game time: 1:30 PM EST
  • Game attendance: 53,225
StatisticsARMYPITT
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Army Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Pittsburgh Passing
Rushing
Receiving

At Temple

No. 1 Pittsburgh Panthers at Temple Owls – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
No. 1 Panthers 21 0 7735
Owls 0 0 000

at Veterans StadiumPhiladelphia, PA

  • Date: November 21
  • Game time: 1:30 PM EST
  • Game attendance: 32,570
  • TV: USA
StatisticsPITTTU
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Pittsburgh Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Temple Passing
Rushing
Receiving

#11 Penn State

No. 11 Penn State Nittany Lions at No. 1 Pittsburgh Panthers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
No. 11 Nittany Lions 0 14 171748
No. 1 Panthers 14 0 0014

at Pitt StadiumPittsburgh, PA

StatisticsPSUPITT
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Penn State Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Pittsburgh Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Vs. #2 Georgia (Sugar Bowl)

1982 Sugar Bowl: No. 10 Pittsburgh Panthers vs. No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
No. 10 Panthers 0 3 71424
No. 2 Bulldogs 0 7 6720

at Louisiana SuperdomeNew Orleans, LA

StatisticsPITTUGA
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Pittsburgh Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Georgia Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Team players drafted into the NFL

PlayerPositionRoundPickNFL club
Emil BouresCenter7182Pittsburgh Steelers
Sal SunseriLinebacker10267Pittsburgh Steelers
Sam ClancyDefensive end11284Seattle Seahawks

[4]

Awards and honors

Media

Radio

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

References

  1. 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. p. 114. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  2. College Football Data Warehouse; Pittsburgh All National Championships, accessdate=2009-01-29 Archived July 4, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Pitt, Marino put the bite on Bulldogs". The Pittsburgh Press. January 2, 1982. Retrieved October 31, 2023 via Newspapers.com.
  4. "1982 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Archived from the original on December 21, 2007.
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