| Sport: | football |
| Year: | 1896 |
| Team: | Pittsburgh College |
| Conference: | Independent |
| Head Coach: | "Rags" Brown |
| Hc Year: | 1st |
| Prev: | 1894 |
The 1896 Pittsburgh College football team was an American football team that represented Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost—now known as Duquesne University—during the 1896 college football season.[1] Ernest H. "Rags" Brown served in his first and only season as the team's head coach.[1] [2] [3]
In advance of the season, the college rebranded its sports teams from Holy Ghost College to Pittsburg(h) College. This change was occasioned by unspecified disrespectful use of the religious name.[2] [4]
The Duquesne University football record book gives the 1896 season record as 12–1[1] on the basis of games that, according to 1896 newspapers, were played by the reserve (second) team. The guide does not include the first-team schedule or two reserve-team games against the Keystone Tigers (November 24) and Press Young Folks' League (November 26). College Football Data Warehouse lists a similar schedule as in the media guide but omits the win against Allegheny High School and adds a supposed 10–0 loss against the Allegheny Athletic Association on November 10, for a season record of 11–2.[5] Pittsburgh newspapers of 1896 reported that the Allegheny Athletic Association's opponent on November 10 was the Duquesne Country and Athletic Club, with Allegheny winning 12–0.[6] [7]