1973 Pittsburgh Panthers football team

1973 Pittsburgh Panthers football
ConferenceIndependent
Record6–5–1
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorGeorge Haffner (1st season)
Offensive schemeI formation, Split backs
Defensive coordinatorJackie Sherrill (1st season)
Base defense4–4
Home stadiumPitt Stadium
1973 NCAA Division I independents football records
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 1 Notre Dame   –   11 – 0 – 0
No. 5 Penn State   –   12 – 0 – 0
No. 9 Houston   –   11 – 1 – 0
Temple   –   9 – 1 – 0
No. 20 Tulane   –   9 – 3 – 0
Memphis State   –   8 – 3 – 0
Tampa   –   8 – 3 – 0
Boston College   –   7 – 4 – 0
South Carolina   –   7 – 4 – 0
Utah State   –   7 – 4 – 0
Air Force   –   6 – 4 – 0
Southern Miss   –   6 – 4 – 1
Northern Illinois   –   6 – 5 – 0
Rutgers   –   6 – 5 – 0
West Virginia   –   6 – 5 – 0
Pittsburgh   –   6 – 5 – 1
Colgate   –   5 – 5 – 0
Dayton   –   5 – 5 – 1
Xavier   –   5 – 5 – 1
Georgia Tech   –   5 – 6 – 0
Holy Cross   –   5 – 6 – 0
Miami (FL)   –   5 – 6 – 0
Cincinnati   –   4 – 7 – 0
Marshall   –   4 – 7 – 0
Navy   –   4 – 7 – 0
Southern Illinois   –   3 – 7 – 1
Villanova   –   3 – 8 – 0
Syracuse   –   2 – 9 – 0
Virginia Tech   –   2 – 9 – 0
Army   –   0 – 10 – 0
Florida State   –   0 – 11 – 0
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1973 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh as an independent during the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. Led by first-year head coach Johnny Majors, the Panthers compiled a record of 6–5–1. At the conclusion of the season, Pittsburgh advanced to the Fiesta Bowl and were defeated by Arizona State. The team played home games at Pitt Stadium in Pittsburgh.

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 152:00 p.m.at Georgia
T 7–752,005[1]
September 221:30 p.m.Baylor
L 14–2028,332[2]
September 292:30 p.m.at Northwestern
W 21–1424,462[3]
October 61:30 p.m.Tulane
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA
L 6–2425,054[4]
October 131:30 p.m.at West Virginia
W 35–737,000[5]
October 201:30 p.m.at Boston College
W 28–1423,219[6]
October 271:33 p.m.Navy
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA
W 22–1733,136[7]
November 31:30 p.m.Syracuse
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)
W 28–1424,932[8]
November 101:30 p.m.No. 5 Notre DameNo. 20
  • Pitt Stadium
  • Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)
L 10–3156,593[9]
November 171:30 p.m.at Army
W 34–033,264[10]
November 241:30 p.m.at No. 6 Penn StateNo. 20
L 13–3556,600[11]
December 218:00 p.m.vs. No. 10 Arizona State
MizlouL 7–2850,878[12]

[13]

Game summaries

Penn State

See also: 1973 Penn State Nittany Lions football team
Penn State vs. Pitt
Quarter 1 2 34Total
#20 Pitt 0 13 0013
#6 Penn State 3 0 82435

at Beaver Stadium • University Park, PA

  • Date: Saturday, November 24, 1973
  • Game attendance: 56,600
Game information
First quarter
  • PSU — Chris Bahr 40-yard field goal
Second quarter
  • Pitt — Tony Dorsett 14-yard run (Carson Long kick)
  • Pitt — Carson Long 31-yard field goal
  • Pitt — Carson Long 50-yard field goal
Third quarter
  • PSU — Bob Nagle 1-yard run (Hayman pass from Shuman)
Fourth quarter
  • PSU — John Cappelletti 5-yard run (Bahr kick)
  • PSU — Tom Hull 27-yard interception return (Bahr kick)
  • PSU — Chuck Herd 32-yard pass from Tom Shuman (Bahr kick)
  • PSU — Chris Bahr 45-yard field goal
Team Category Player Statistics
Pitt Passing Billy Daniels 5/19, 122 Yds, 2 INT
Rushing Tony Dorsett 20 Rush, 77 Yds, 1 TD
Receiving
PSU Passing Tom Shuman 7/17, 96 Yds, 1 TD
Rushing John Cappelletti 37 Rush, 161 Yds, 1 TD
Receiving Chuck Herd 1 Rec, 32 Yds, 1 TD

Penn State overcame a 13–3 halftime deficit with a dominant second-half performance to defeat Pittsburgh 35–13 on November 24, 1973, before 56,600 fans at Beaver Stadium. The Panthers controlled much of the first half behind freshman Tony Dorsett, who scored on a 14-yard touchdown run and finished with 77 rushing yards. Pitt also added two field goals by Carson Long while limiting the Nittany Lions to a single Chris Bahr field goal before intermission.

Penn State’s defense turned the game in the third quarter, holding Pittsburgh to just 15 yards and no first downs in the period. Penn State narrowed Pitt's lead to 13-11 when Fullback Bob Nagle scored from 1 yard out and Hayman added the 2-point conversion on a reception. John Cappelletti put Penn State ahead for good on 5-yard touchdown and the game was sealed when Linebacker Tom Hull tallied a 27-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Cappelletti, a leading Heisman Trophy candidate, rushed for 161 yards on 37 carries and was named the game’s outstanding player. The victory capped an undefeated 11–0 regular season for Penn State and secured its bid to the Orange Bowl.

[14] [15]

Personnel

Roster

1973 Pittsburgh Panthers football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
OT 76 Dave Wannstedt Sr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DT Gary Burley Jr
DT 75 Glenn Hyde Sr
DE 85 Tom Perko So
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

Coaching staff

1973 Pittsburgh Panthers football staff
Coaching staff
  • Johnny Majors – Head coach
  • Jackie Sherrill – Assistant head coach/defensive coordinator
  • George Haffner – Offensive coordinator
  • Joe Avezzano – Offensive line
  • Jim Dyar – Defensive line
  • Larry Holton – Defense
  • Harry Jones – Offensive backs
  • Bob Leahy – Head Freshman Coach
  • Joe Madden – Defensive secondary
  • Bob Roper – Receivers
  • Bob Matey – Freshman Defensive Line
  • Keith Schroeder – Scouting
   Support staff
  • Albert Smith – Executive Assistant Director of Athletics

Team players drafted into the NFL

Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Rod Kirby Linebacker 11 278 Buffalo Bills
Jim Buckmon Defensive end 12 295 New Orleans Saints
Dave Wannstedt Tackle 15 376 Green Bay Packers

[16]

References

  1. ^ "New-look Pitt ties Georgia, 7–7". The Pittsburgh Press. September 16, 1973. Retrieved October 26, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Surprising Bears upset Pitt 20–14". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. September 23, 1973. Retrieved March 28, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Pittsburgh downs Wildcats". News Journal. September 30, 1973. Retrieved September 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Pitt burned by 'big play' Tulane, 24–6". The Pittsburgh Press. October 7, 1973. Retrieved October 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Pitt crushes W. Virginia, 35–7". The Philadelphia Inquirer. October 14, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "'No. 2' Panthers upset Boston College, 28–14". The Pittsburgh Press. October 21, 1973. Retrieved September 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Pitt subdues Navy, 22–17". Daily Press. October 28, 1973. Retrieved September 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Pitt kicks Syracuse". The Houston Chronicle. November 4, 1973. Retrieved September 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Dorsett sets anti-Irish mark". The Cincinnati Enquirer. November 11, 1973. Retrieved September 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Dorsett dances Pitt to Fiesta". The Patriot-News. November 18, 1973. Retrieved September 22, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Penn State rallies to punish Pitt". The Wichita Eagle & Beacon. November 25, 1973. Retrieved September 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Fiesta time a big disappointment". The Pittsburgh Press. December 22, 1973. Retrieved October 8, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Schedule/Results (1973 Pittsburgh)". NCAA Statistics. National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  14. ^ White, Gordon S. Jr. (November 25, 1973). "Stubborn Pitt Bows, 35–13". The New York Times.
  15. ^ "Penn State rallies to punish Pitt". The Wichita Eagle & Beacon. November 25, 1973. Retrieved September 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "1974 NFL Draft Listing - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Archived from the original on December 21, 2007.
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