1977 Pittsburgh Panthers football team

American college football season

1977 Pittsburgh Panthers football

Gator Bowl champion

Gator Bowl, W 34–3 vs. Clemson

Conference| Independent
Ranking
Coaches| No. 7
AP| No. 8
Record| 9–2–1
Head coach|

* Jackie Sherrill (1st season)

Offensive coordinator| Bob Leahy (1st season)
Offensive scheme| Pro I, split backs
Defensive coordinator| Jimmy Johnson (1st season)
Base defense| 5–2
Home stadium| Pitt Stadium

Seasons

<- 1976

1978 ->

1977 NCAA Division I independents football records

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| Conf |  |  | Overall

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Team | W |  | L |  | T |  |  | W |  | L |  | T
No. 1 Notre Dame |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 11  | - | 1  | - | 0
No. 5 Penn State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 11  | - | 1  | - | 0
Colgate |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 10  | - | 1  | - | 0
North Texas State *  |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 10  | - | 1  | - | 0
No. 16 San Diego State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 10  | - | 1  | - | 0
Tennessee State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 1  | - | 1
No. 14 Florida State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 10  | - | 2  | - | 0
No. 8 Pittsburgh |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 9  | - | 2  | - | 1
East Carolina |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 0
Rutgers |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 8  | - | 3  | - | 0
Army |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 0
Louisville |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 7  | - | 4  | - | 1
Boston College |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Cincinnati |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 5  | - | 4  | - | 2
Georgia Tech |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Memphis State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Northwestern State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Syracuse |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
William & Mary |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Southern Miss |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 6  | - | 5  | - | 0
Temple |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 5  | - | 5  | - | 1
Hawaii |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
Navy |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
West Virginia |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 5  | - | 6  | - | 0
South Carolina |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 5  | - | 7  | - | 0
Utah State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Villanova |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 4  | - | 7  | - | 0
Illinois State |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 1
Virginia Tech |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 3  | - | 7  | - | 1
Miami (FL) |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Richmond |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Tulane |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 3  | - | 8  | - | 0
Air Force |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 1
Holy Cross |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 2  | - | 8  | - | 0
Northeast Louisiana |  | - |  | - |  |  |  | 2  | - | 9  | - | 0

* North Texas State (originally 9–2) awarded a forfeit win after Mississippi State was found to be using an ineligible player.[1]

Rankings from AP Poll

The 1977 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1977 NCAA Division I football season. The Panthers competed in the Gator Bowl.

## Schedule

[edit]

Date| Time| Opponent| Rank| Site| TV| Result| Attendance| Source

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September 10| 4:20 p.m.| No. 3 Notre Dame| No. 7|

* Pitt Stadium
* Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)

| ABC| L 9–19| 56,500|
September 17| 1:30 p.m.| William & Mary| No. 16|

* Pitt Stadium
* Pittsburgh, PA

| | W 28–6| |
September 24| 1:00 p.m.| at Temple| |

* Temple Stadium
* Philadelphia, PA

| | W 76–0| |
October 1| 1:30 p.m.| at Boston College| No. 16|

* Alumni Stadium
* Chestnut Hill, MA

| | W 45–7| 24,881| [2]
October 8| 7:00 p.m.| at No. 20 Florida| No. 15|

* Florida Field
* Gainesville, FL

| | T 17–17| 62,724| [3]
October 15| 1:30 p.m.| Navy| No. 17|

* Pitt Stadium
* Pittsburgh, PA

| | W 34–17| |
October 22| 1:30 p.m.| Syracuse| No. 14|

* Pitt Stadium
* Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)

| | W 28–21| 43,551|
October 29| 1:30 p.m.| Tulane| No. 13|

* Pitt Stadium
* Pittsburgh, PA

| | W 48–0| 46,273| [4]
November 5| 1:30 p.m.| at West Virginia| No. 12|

* Mountaineer Field
* Morgantown, WV (Backyard Brawl)

| | W 44–3| 37,031| [5]
November 12| 1:30 p.m.| vs. Army| No. 10|

* Giants Stadium
* East Rutherford, NJ

| | W 52–26| 35,387|
November 26| 1:30 p.m.| No. 9 Penn State| No. 10|

* Pitt Stadium
* Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)

| ABC| L 13–15| 56,500|
December 30| 9:00 p.m.| vs. No. 11 Clemson| No. 10|

* Gator Bowl Stadium
* Jacksonville, FL (Gator Bowl)

| ABC| W 34–3| 72,289| [6]

* Homecoming
* Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
* All times are in Eastern time

## Personnel

[edit]

1977 Pittsburgh Panthers football team roster

Players  | Coaches
Offense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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QB | `` | Wayne Adams | Sr
C | `67` | Tom Brzoza | Sr
QB | `12` | Matt Cavanaugh | Sr
RB | `` | Jo Jo Heath
WR | `` | Gordon Jones
RB | `` | Ray Jones
WR | `` | Willie Taylor
QB | `` | Rick Trocano
RB | `` | Elliott Walker
QB | `` |  Yewcic | Fr
Defense | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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DB | `` | Mike Balzer
DL | `99` | Hugh Green
DL | `` | Randy Halloway
S | `` | Bob Jury
DT | `76` | Bill Neill | Fr
Special teams | Pos. | # | Name | Class

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P | `` | Joe Gasparovic
K | `` | Mark Schubert

Head coach

* Jackie Sherrill

Coordinators/assistant coaches

* Larry Bielat (AdmA)
* Don Boyce (OL)
* Foge Fazio (LB)
* Larry Holton (DB)
* Jimmy Johnson (Ast HC/DC)
* Bob Leahy (OC)
* Bob Matey (DL)
* Joe Moore (RB)
* Otto Stowe (WR)
* Dave Wannstedt (Str & Cond)

* * *

Legend

* (C) Team captain
* (S) Suspended
* (I) Ineligible

* Injured
* Redshirt

## Season summary

[edit]

### Notre Dame

[edit]

See also: 1977 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team and Notre Dame–Pittsburgh football rivalry

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (0–0) at Pittsburgh Panthers (0–0)

Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3| 4| Total

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Notre Dame | 0 | 6 | 0| 13| 19
Pittsburgh | 7 | 2 | 0| 0| 9

at Pitt Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

* Date: September 10, 1977
* Game attendance: 56,500
* TV: ABC
* Recap

Game information

First quarter

* PITT – Gordon Jones 12-yard pass from Matt Cavanaugh (Mark Schubert kick). Pitt 7–0. Drive:

Second quarter

* PITT – Safety, Joe Restic tackled in end zone. Pitt 9–0.
* ND – Ken MacAfee 5-yard pass from Rusty Lisch (kick blocked). Pitt 9–6. Drive:

Fourth quarter

* ND – Dave Reeve 35-yard field goal. Tie 9–9. Drive:
* ND – Dave Reeve 26-yard field goal. Notre Dame 12–9. Drive:
* ND - Terry Eurick 4-yard run (Dave Reeve kick). Notre Dame 19–9. Drive:

Top rushers

* ND – Jerome Heavens – 88 yards

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## Team players drafted into the NFL

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Player | Position | Round | Pick | NFL club

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Randy Holloway | Defensive end | 1 | 21 | Minnesota Vikings
Matt Cavanaugh | Quarterback | 2 | 50 | New England Patriots
Bob Jury | Defensive back | 3 | 63 | Seattle Seahawks
Elliott Walker | Running back | 6 | 148 | San Francisco 49ers
Randy Reutershan | Wide receiver | 6 | 160 | Pittsburgh Steelers
J.C. Wilson | Defensive back | 8 | 210 | Houston Oilers
Willie Taylor | Wide receiver | 9 | 223 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brzoza | Center | 11 | 300 | Pittsburgh Steelers

[7]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/1977-standings.html
2. ^ "Panthers Overpower B.C., 45–7". The Pittsburgh Press. October 2, 1977. pp. D1, D2 - via Newspapers.com.
3. ^ "Florida ties fumbling Pitt, 17–17". The Pittsburgh Press. October 9, 1977. Retrieved October 29, 2023 - via Newspapers.com.
4. ^ "Pitt too much for Tulane, 48–0". The Pittsburgh Press. October 30, 1977. Retrieved October 19, 2021 - via Newspapers.com.
5. ^ "Pitt rolls by 44–3". The Tampa Tribune. November 6, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
6. ^ "Hammond's record falls as Pitt mauls Clemson". Tallahassee Democrat. December 31, 1977. Retrieved January 26, 2024 - via Newspapers.com.
7. ^ "1978 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Archived from the original on December 22, 2007.

* v
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Pittsburgh Panthers football

Venues|

* Recreation Park (1898–1899)
* Exposition Park (1900)
* Schenley Park (1901)
* Coliseum (1902–1903)
* Exposition Park (1904–1908)
* Forbes Field (1909–1924)
* Pitt Stadium (1925–1999)
* Three Rivers Stadium (2000)
* Acrisure Stadium (2001–present)
* UPMC Rooney Sports Complex (practice)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
* Duquesne: City Game
* Notre Dame
* Old Ironsides
* Penn State
* Syracuse
* West Virginia: Backyard Brawl

Culture & lore|

* Panthers
* "Hail to Pitt"
* "Pitt Victory Song"
* Marching band
* 2007 Backyard Brawl
* Highest-scoring game

People|

* Head coaches
* All-Americans
* NFL draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1890
* 1891
* 1892
* 1893
* 1894
* 1895
* 1896
* 1897
* 1898
* 1899
* 1900
* 1901
* 1902
* 1903
* 1904
* 1905
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* 1907
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* 1909
* 1910
* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914
* 1915
* 1916
* 1917
* 1918
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* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1924
* 1925
* 1926
* 1927
* 1928
* 1929
* 1930
* 1931
* 1932
* 1933
* 1934
* 1935
* 1936
* 1937
* 1938
* 1939
* 1940
* 1941
* 1942
* 1943
* 1944
* 1945
* 1946
* 1947
* 1948
* 1949
* 1950
* 1951
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* 1953
* 1954
* 1955
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* 1957
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* 1973
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* 1975
* 1976
* 1977
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National championship seasons in bold

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*[v]: View this template
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*[Conf]: Conference record
*[W]: Wins
*[L]: Losses
*[T]: Ties
*[No.]: Number