Best & Worst Pitt Bowl Games

[PitterPanther]

During your lifetime, what were in the Best and Worst Pitt bowl games you've witnessed?

Best: 1977 Sugar Bowl
Worst: 2015 Armed Forces Bowl but 2005 Fiesta Bowl isn't far behind.

 

[pittmeister]

Best:
1. Sugar Bowl 1982
2. Sugar Bowl 1977
3. Sun Bowl 1989

Worse:
1. Armed Forces Bowl 2014
2. Fiesta Bowl 2005
3. Sun Bowl 2008

 

[9nationalchampionships]

Best - '77 Sugar
Worst - '08 Sun

 

[President Stache]

I first thought HOW can any bowl be worse than the 2008 sun bowl, then you posted the Armed Forces Bowl and I was like... yep! That was worse, good one.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Worse:

1) Sun Bowl 2008 - cost Pitt a top 25 ranking and first 10 win season in over 20 years. Plus it was a painful game to watch
2) Bluebonnet Bowl 1987 - Pitt had a decent team but as was par for the Gottfried era could never put things together consistently and lost to a very beatable Texas team. Would have built some good momentum for next season by winning that especially after beating the nits earlier in the year
3) Fiesta Bowl 2004 - Didn't even show up in our one and only BCS bowl.

I don't include any of the Compass Bowls/armed forces bowl since they were played with interim staffs and winning would have no bearing on rankings or improve the record that much. Yeah they were brutal to watch (especially the SMU & Houston games) but basically meaningless.

Best:

1) Sugar Bowl 1977 & 1982 - no explanation necessary
2) Sun Bowl 1975 - set the stage for national title run in 1976
3) Insight Bowl 2002 - Seemed like it would be Walt's prelude to a big year in 2003 but didn't work out that way. Still was a great game watching Fitz dominate and Pitt destroy a Pac 12 team.
4) Gator Bowls 1977 & 1981 - Pitt destroyed Clemson and South Carolina respectively. Add in the Clemson victory this year and we have done pretty well against the state of South Carolina.

 

[CorsosRevenge]

some forgotten bowls.

2000 Insight Bowl gets an honorable mention. Iowa State (and it's asshole fans) was like 120th against the run and Walt went Wlat by refusing to run Barlow.

2005 Fiesta Bowl was a really great time that had an awful football game mixed in.

2003 Tahr Bowl. - First and goal with no Fitzgerald. Wlat gonna' Wlat.

Best

2002 Insight Bowl - That game was never in doubt.

2001 Tangerine Bowl - Bitchtits Chuck Amato and NC State whined about that game for months. They felt Pitt was beneath them. So much for that.

2010 Compass Bowl - Stupid Kentucky fans chanting "SEC! SEC!" How'd that work out for yinz?

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

2000 Insight Bowl gets an honorable mention. Iowa State (and it's asshole fans) was like 120th against the run and Walt went Wlat by refusing to run Barlow.

definitely, not one of Walts shining moments. What was the deal with the fans?

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

.

2010 Compass Bowl - Stupid Kentucky fans chanting "SEC! SEC!" How'd that work out for yinz?

I remember after the game and they interviewed the Kentucky players and they said Pitt hit them hard like an SEC team. Shame Wanny couldn't get it together here. I wonder what would have happened if he hired Noel Mazzone as OC, would things had been any different?

 

[ThePanthers]

definitely, not one of Walts shining moments. What was the deal with the fans?

I was at that one in Arizona and had no issues.

Best:

1989 Sun (first bowl I remember watching as a kid)
2009 Car Care - great game and finished the season with 10 wins and top 15 ranking
2002 Insight Bowl - See 2009 Car Care but top 20 ranking and 9 wins

Worst

2008 Sun Bowl - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
2014 Armed Forces - how the f did we blow that

 

[CorsosRevenge]

definitely, not one of Walts shining moments. What was the deal with the fans?

They were just jerkoffs. They hadn't been to a bowl since the 70s and a lot of them were very obnoxious. Similar to Utah fans in 2005.

 

[pittdan77]

1982 Sugar Bowl was always a favorite of mine. Watched it on TV but mostly because I was privileged to watch a highlight reel of that season with John Brown in the room deep within the old Pitt Stadium. Keith Jackson's call of the game is iconic. Some true Pitt greats on that team too. Twenty-two NFL draft picks for Pitt on that team. Six first rounder's.

2014 Armed Forces Bowl.......couldn't be any more painful because of the abuse I took from the Nitters after that game, deservingly so.

 

[Tuck Shop Gal]

Best 1982 Sugar Bowl

 

[pittmeister]

Even though the 1977 Sugar Bowl captured the National Championship for Pitt, 1982 Sugar Bowl had everything; two great teams, great players on both sides, a back and forth contest and an exciting finish.

The 1977 Sugar Bowl was never in doubt by the 2nd quarter...

 

[NTOP]

Best:
1. Sugar Bowl 1982
2. Sugar Bowl 1977
3. Sun Bowl 1989

Worse:
1. Armed Forces Bowl 2014
2. Fiesta Bowl 2005
3. Sun Bowl 2008

The Sun Bowl in 1975 was cool....3 guys over 100 yards. And the 1973 Fiesta Bowl was a shocker....came out of a self-imposed death penalty to get there.

 

[Islabird1]

During your lifetime, what were in the Best and Worst Pitt bowl games you've witnessed?

Best: 1977 Sugar Bowl
Worst: 2015 Armed Forces Bowl but 2005 Fiesta Bowl isn't far behind.

1978 Tangerine Bowl Worst Defeated by NC State Jimmy Johnson exiting Def Coordinator

 

[LeftCoastPanther]

Best: 1989 Sun Bowl -- Pitt won and had lots of talent

Worst: 1989 Sun Bowl -- I didn't know just how serious the damage was going to be with Pitt going all academic and hiring Hackett. After Pitt won and gained 564 yards on offense I thought it was a good hire.

 

[Piranha]

I remember after the game and they interviewed the Kentucky players and they said Pitt hit them hard like an SEC team. Shame Wanny couldn't get it together here. I wonder what would have happened if he hired Noel Mazzone as OC, would things had been any different?

If he hired Cignetti or Mazzone instead of Cavvy, then things would have been much better and he still might be the HC.

 

[California Panther]

They were just jerkoffs. They hadn't been to a bowl since the 70s and a lot of them were very obnoxious. Similar to Utah fans in 2005.

I was at both of those AZ bowls and I agree about both of those fan bases. Although I think the Utah fans were even worse than ISU.

 

[BillyWestFan]

Best: 1982 Sugar
Worst: 1983 Cotton, the start of the demise...

 

[CJsE]

Worst

2008 Sun Bowl - zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
2014 Armed Forces - how the f did we blow that

How did it take so many posts for the Armed Forces loss to come up? Winning 31-6 in the 4th quarter, largest comeback in bowl history for a regulation game.

Even though the game didn't mean much, I'm never a fan of having my team on the wrong end of record like that.

 

[LeftCoastPanther]

Best: 1982 Sugar
Worst: 1983 Cotton, the start of the demise...

The 1983 Cotton is a good answer. The start of the demise but a game Pitt should have won and it was mistake after mistake. Should have at least won, 10-7.

 

[JD1976]

Best
2002 Insight Bowl - Fitz made that amazing catch and Pitt dominated from start to finish.
1989 Sun - At the time seeing Hackett being carried off the field seemed really cool.. who knew it would set Pitt back decades?

Worst
2008 Sun - how can it get worse than 3-0?
1982 Cotton (1/1/83) - my first Pitt bowl game that I can remember. How could that team only score 3?


50/50
1997 Liberty Bowl is one that was disappointing because we got blown out by Southern Miss, but I remember watching that game and just being so glad to be there after a 7-season bowl drought.

2004 Fiesta Bowl - we had no prayer of beating that Utah team to begin with, then throw in the fact that Walt had already announced he was heading to Stanford. Another one that was just cool to see Pitt be a part of despite being throttled by Urban, Alex Smith and Co.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

The 1983 Cotton is a good answer. The start of the demise but a game Pitt should have won and it was mistake after mistake. Should have at least won, 10-7.

Yes, Cotton is bad since it started a downfall from the peak of college football. Also while not bad, should have beat O$U the following year in Fiesta Bowl.

But in terms of significance and overall turkey of a game, hard to top the 2008 Sun bowl. As I said earlier a win would have got us a Top 25 ranking and a 10 win season and would have had Wanny moving in the right direction. Most bowls don't mean much but playing for a top 25 ranking (first one in 4 years) was pretty significant. And playing on national TV with Verne calling it made it even worse.

 

[California Panther]

The 1983 Cotton is a good answer. The start of the demise but a game Pitt should have won and it was mistake after mistake. Should have at least won, 10-7.

I seem to remember a Joe McCall fumble as he was trying to dive over the top into the end zone in that game that we lost 7-3?

 

[LeftCoastPanther]

Yes, McCall fumbled on the opening drive at the goal line versus SMU.

That next season in the Fiesta Bowl, Pitt held a 23-21 lead late and let the Buckeyes go 89 yards to win it. OSU converted on 4th and 18 and then I want to say the linebacker, Benson, could have also picked off a pass to seal it and he couldn't corral it while falling on his back.

Frustrating times indeed.

 

[CorsosRevenge]

Wasn't the 1983 Cotton Bowl played in an ice storm?

 

[LeftCoastPanther]

Not ice, but it was a damp day in Dallas.

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

Not ice, but it was a damp day in Dallas.

This question favors Older Pitt Fans that has seen more of them.

Did not like Pitt 3 SMU 6 game, absolutely hated 0 PITT and Oregon State 3 to this very day, and watching Houston beat Pitt two years ago are my 3 Bowl Games, and blame it all 3 on the Coaches!

Navy last year and Harris not using Fitzgerald against UVA on the Goal Line loss weer also ugly games.

Pitt needs to win their bowl game this year!

Bowl Games are always big anticipations with much expectations then afterwards big disappointments even when winning the games, except if it is for the NCS like in 1976. Just my views but others differ so be it.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

Worst: 97 Liberty - We got boat raced and it was a bad way to end a good year. I also remember that the venue sucked and it was freezing.

Best: 01 Tangerine - That team came back from the depths that year after starting 1-5. I was at the last loss that year where we got manhandled by BC and ended the game w/ Hoderny at QB. I never in my life thought we'd make it to a winning record (let alone a decent bowl) and beat a decent Phil Rivers led NC State team.

02 Insight bowl - Great game, remembered for Larry Fitzgerald's tremendous TD catch. I don't remember much else from the game aside from the thought that we were going to come back and dominate in 03. Sadly we did not.

 

[JD1976]

02 Insight bowl - Great game, remembered for Larry Fitzgerald's tremendous TD catch. I don't remember much else from the game aside from the thought that we were going to come back and dominate in 03. Sadly we did not.

The '02 Insight Bowl was awesome. I still remember Mike Golic doing the game on TV for ESPN and ranting and raving about how good Rutherford and Fitzgerald were going to be in 2003. All of that hype propelled Pitt to a Top 10 preseason ranking that came crashing down just a few weeks into the season at the hands of Gradkowski and Toledo.

 

[pittmeister]

Wasn't the 1983 Cotton Bowl played in an ice storm?

Yes, it was sleeting in the second half. Miserable game. Pitt fumbled early in the first half on the one yard line and that was as close as we came to scoring a TD all day. I froze my butt off...

 

[pittmeister]

If you haven't already purchased, buy the 1982 Sugar Bowl DVD

Amazon product ASIN B002WSYLLC
Highly recommended for those of you too young to remember...

Outstanding game, outstanding finish, outstanding players; Marino, Doleman, Fralic, Covert, etc...

 

[CaptainSidneyReilly]

If you haven't already purchased, buy the 1982 Sugar Bowl DVD

View embedded media

Highly recommended for those of you too young to remember...

Outstanding game, outstanding finish, outstanding players; Marino, Doleman, Fralic, Covert, etc...

Yep, now that was an exciting game and ended a great coaches era due to a Bozo pounding on the Doors demanding only he ran Pitt Athletic to get the Press in, when Jackie wanted to talk to his team on should he leave? Bozo was fired 6 years later!

Pitt also refused to hire Barry Alvarez and later refused to bring back Jackie when he wanted to come back?

 

[kma0043]

Best
2002 Insight Bowl - Fitz made that amazing catch and Pitt dominated from start to finish.
1989 Sun - At the time seeing Hackett being carried off the field seemed really cool.. who knew it would set Pitt back decades?

Worst
2008 Sun - how can it get worse than 3-0?
1982 Cotton (1/1/83) - my first Pitt bowl game that I can remember. How could that team only score 3?


50/50
1997 Liberty Bowl is one that was disappointing because we got blown out by Southern Miss, but I remember watching that game and just being so glad to be there after a 7-season bowl drought.

2004 Fiesta Bowl - we had no prayer of beating that Utah team to begin with, then throw in the fact that Walt had already announced he was heading to Stanford. Another one that was just cool to see Pitt be a part of despite being throttled by Urban, Alex Smith and Co.

I was wondering if anyone was going to bring up the '97 Liberty Bowl. Sure it was a lousy game, but it came after an incredible win against WVU and a special season consider the pain of 1990-96. I remember being in high school and being so excited for the bowl game during the holiday vacation. Pete Gonzalez is still a fav Pitt memory for me.

 

[CaptainMurphy]

I was wondering if anyone was going to bring up the '97 Liberty Bowl. Sure it was a lousy game, but it came after an incredible win against WVU and a special season consider the pain of 1990-96. I remember being in high school and being so excited for the bowl game during the holiday vacation. Pete Gonzalez is still a fav Pitt memory for me.

I was in the band and the concept of going to a bowl game, let alone two, during my time at Pitt never even crossed my mind before 1997. That was a special season but the bowl did suck. I remember our one score at the end of the first half was something like an 80 yard pass play where the receiver (Jake Hoffart I think) dove into the end zone and got flagged for excessive celebration. So at least we thought we still had a chance at the half.

 

[owljag]

Underrated: 1984 Fiesta Bowl with Ohio State. Pitt lost in the last minute, but it was a really entertaining game. Foge's 8-3-1 second team was a pleasant surprise (Playboy had picked them to go 4-7, prompting Foge to say, "I switched my subscription to Penthouse"), but was so close to something bigger: 6-point road loss to Maryland (w/ fumble in red zone in last two minutes), 3-point road loss to WVU (90-yard TD drive in 4th Q), final-play tie w/ PSU, and last-minute loss to Buckeyes.

Harbinger of Future: 1983 Cotton Bowl w/ SMU, which was the first sporting event that I can remember looking forward to watching as a kid.

Fun Trip: 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl. Drove down w/ Major Majors. Stull and Dorin Dickerson came over to slap fives with our section after the game.

Happy Memory Overshadowed by Dud Ending: 2015 w/ U of Houston. Until the collapse, it was pretty cool: most everyone there had some sort of close tie w/ the Panthers. I watched the first half with some of Trey Anderson's high school friends, and later watched some of the game with Zach Challingsworth's family.