1980 Pittsburgh Panthers football team explained

Year:	1980
Team:	Pittsburgh Panthers
Sport:	football
Conference:	Independent
Coachrank:	2
Aprank:	2
Record:	11–1
Head Coach:	Jackie Sherrill
Hc Year:	4th
Off Coach:	Wally English
Oc Year:	2nd
Off Scheme:	Multiple pro-style
Def Coach:	Foge Fazio
Dc Year:	2nd
Def Scheme:	Multiple front
Stadium:	Pitt Stadium
Champion:	National champion (DeVold, FR, The New York Times) Co-national champion (FACT, Sagarin) Gator Bowl champion Eastern champion
Bowl:	Gator Bowl
Bowl Result:	W 37–9 vs. South Carolina

The 1980 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh as an independent during the 1980 NCAA Division I-A football season. Despite losing one game, the Panthers were named national champion by NCAA-designated major selectors DeVold System, Football Research, and The New York Times, while also named co-national champion by Rothman (FACT) and Sagarin.^[1] The university does not claim a national championship for this season, nor are the Panthers popularly recognized for winning that year's national championship. Pitt was awarded the Lambert-Meadowlands Trophy as the champion of the East.

The team is noteworthy for featuring four future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Linebacker Rickey Jackson, Center Russ Grimm, Tackle Jimbo Covert, and quarterback Dan Marino. Several other players on the team, including Mark May and Hugh Green, would go on to be Pro Bowl NFL stars.

Championship selections

Selectors that named Pitt the 1980 national champion:^[2]

• 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
• The New York Times
• Quality Champions
• Sagarin Ratings
• Steve Eck
• The Fleming System

Game summaries

Boston College

See also: 1980 Boston College Eagles football team.

Statistics	BC	PITT
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Boston College	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Pittsburgh	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

At Kansas

See also: 1980 Kansas Jayhawks football team.

Statistics	PITT	KU
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Pittsburgh	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Kansas	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Temple

See also: 1980 Temple Owls football team.

Statistics	TU	PITT
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Temple	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Pittsburgh	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Maryland

See also: 1980 Maryland Terrapins football team.

Statistics	MD	PITT
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Maryland	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Pittsburgh	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

At #11 Florida State

See also: 1980 Florida State Seminoles football team.

Statistics	PITT	FSU
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Pittsburgh	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Florida State	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

West Virginia

See also: 1980 West Virginia Mountaineers football team and Backyard Brawl.

Statistics	WVU	PITT
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
West Virginia	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Pittsburgh	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Starting free safety Rick Trocano moved over to offense in the second quarter to replace the injured Dan Marino. Previously the starter at QB in 1978, Trocano led Pitt to four second-quarter touchdowns during the Panthers' win at Pitt Stadium.^[3]

At Tennessee

See also: 1980 Tennessee Volunteers football team.

Statistics	PITT	TENN
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Pittsburgh	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Tennessee	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

At Syracuse

See also: 1980 Syracuse Orangemen football team and Pittsburgh–Syracuse football rivalry.

Statistics	PITT	SYR
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Pittsburgh	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Syracuse	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Louisville

See also: 1980 Louisville Cardinals football team.

Statistics	LOU	PITT
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Louisville	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Pittsburgh	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

At Army

See also: 1980 Army Cadets football team.

Statistics	PITT	ARMY
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Pittsburgh	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Army	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

At #5 Penn State

See also: 1980 Penn State Nittany Lions football team and Penn State–Pittsburgh football rivalry.

Statistics	PITT	PSU
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Pittsburgh	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
Penn State	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Vs. #18 South Carolina (Gator Bowl)

See also: 1980 South Carolina Gamecocks football team and 1980 Gator Bowl.

Statistics	PITT	S CAR
First downs
Total yards
Rushes/yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession

Team	Category	Player	Statistics
Pittsburgh	Passing
Rushing
Receiving
South Carolina	Passing
Rushing
Receiving

Personnel

Roster

^[4]

Awards and honors

• Hugh Green, Walter Camp Award^[5]
• Hugh Green, Lombardi Award^[6]
• Hugh Green, Maxwell Award^[7]
• Mark May, Outland Trophy^[8]

Team players drafted into the NFL

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL club
	Defensive end	1	7	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	Running back	1	12	Baltimore Colts
	Tackle	1	20	Washington Redskins
	Linebacker	2	51	New Orleans Saints
	Defensive tackle	3	63	Los Angeles Rams
	Defensive back	3	65	San Francisco 49ers
	Center	3	69	Washington Redskins
	Defensive tackle	5	115	New York Giants
Benjie Pryor	Tight end	5	120	Cincinnati Bengals
Lynn Thomas	Defensive back	5	121	San Francisco 49ers
	Defensive tackle	5	128	New Orleans Saints
	Quarterback	11	292	Pittsburgh Steelers

^[9]

Media

Radio

Notes and References

1. Book: 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records . National Collegiate Athletic Association . August 2018 . November 29, 2018 . 114.
2. Web site: College Football Data Warehouse: Yearly National Championship Selections . 2009-01-29 . 2010-02-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100211114025/http://cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/national_championships/yearly_results.php?year=1980 . dead .
3. Web site: Site Unavailable.
4. News: Saturday's game rosters . Lawrence Journal-World . (Kansas) . September 19, 1980 . 16.
5. Web site: Football. 2009-01-06. 2008-01-07. https://web.archive.org/web/20080107193656/http://football.about.com/cs/history/a/waltercampaward.htm. dead.
6. Web site: NCAA College Football Awards - ESPN.
7. Web site: NCAA College Football Awards - ESPN.
8. Web site: FWAA > Awards > Outland Trophy > Winners. 2009-01-06. 2009-01-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20090102064106/http://www.sportswriters.net/fwaa/awards/outland/winners.html. dead.
9. Web site: 1981 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20071221202823/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1981.htm. 2007-12-21.