1981 Pittsburgh Panthers football team explained

Year:	1981
Team:	Pittsburgh Panthers
Sport:	football
Conference:	Independent
Coachrank:	2
Aprank:	4
Record:	11–1
Head Coach:	Jackie Sherrill
Hc Year:	5th
Off Coach:	Joe Moore, Paul McCullough
Oc Year:	1st, 6th
Off Scheme:	Multiple pro-style
Def Coach:	Foge Fazio
Dc Year:	3rd
Def Scheme:	Multiple front
Stadium:	Pitt Stadium
Champion:	National champion (NCF) Sugar Bowl champion
Bowl:	Sugar Bowl
Bowl Result:	W 24–20 vs. Georgia

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

^[3]

Game summaries

Illinois

See also: 1982 Illinois Fighting Illini football team.

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

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

Cincinnati

See also: 1981 Cincinnati Bearcats football team.

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

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

At South Carolina

See also: 1981 South Carolina Gamecocks football team.

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

At West Virginia

See also: 1981 West Virginia Mountaineers football team and Backyard Brawl.

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

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

1. 11 Florida State

See also: 1981 Florida State Seminoles football team.

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

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

Syracuse

See also: 1981 Syracuse Orangemen football team and Pittsburgh–Syracuse football rivalry.

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

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

At Boston College

See also: 1981 Boston College Eagles football team.

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

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

At Rutgers

See also: 1981 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team.

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

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

Army

See also: 1981 Army Cadets football team.

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

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

At Temple

See also: 1981 Temple Owls football team.

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

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

1. 11 Penn State

See also: 1981 Penn State Nittany Lions football team and Penn State–Pittsburgh football rivalry.

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

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

Vs. #2 Georgia (Sugar Bowl)

See also: 1981 Georgia Bulldogs football team and 1982 Sugar Bowl.

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

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

Personnel

Roster

Awards and honors

• Dan Marino, fourth in Heisman Trophy voting

Team players drafted into the NFL

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL club
	Center	7	182	Pittsburgh Steelers
	Linebacker	10	267	Pittsburgh Steelers
	Defensive end	11	284	Seattle Seahawks

^[4]

Media

Radio

Notes and References

1. Book: 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records . National Collegiate Athletic Association . August 2018 . November 29, 2018 . 114.
2. http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/bigeast/pittsburgh/all_national_champs.php College Football Data Warehouse; Pittsburgh All National Championships, accessdate=2009-01-29
3. News: 1981 Pitt Panthers Schedule and Results. Sports Reference LLC. SR/College Football. October 31, 2024.
4. Web site: 1982 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20071221202828/http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1982.htm. 2007-12-21.