Let's obsess for a minute or two over Pitt's season-ending ranked teams. Minnesota won the AP's first national championship in 1936 and Pitt the second in '37. Not until 1955 did Pitt end the season ranked, and followed it up in '56 with another national ranking.
But in 1959 Pitt played a typical schedule for its 50s and 60s teams with big name powerhouses dotting the schedule. Pitt began the 1959 season by beating Marquette (who dropped football a year later), losing to #11 USC, then beating UCLA. Traveling to USC was no big deal back in those days. After beating Duke at Pitt Stadium, Pitt entered the AP rankings at #20. Losses followed to unranked West Virginia, #16 TCU, and #5 Syracuse. Syracuse went on to win the national championship. But Pitt wouldn't lose again, beating Boston College, Notre Dame, and #7 Penn State. Penn State lost by two points to #1 Syracuse and was a heavy favorite against Pitt. Pitt hammered Penn State 22-7 to finish 6-4. Pitt didn't get an invite to one of the nine bowl games in 1959, but the AP recognized Pitt's tough schedule and strong finish against Penn State by awarding Michelosen's team with a #20 national ranking.
How good of a coach was Johnny Mike? He coached Pitt for 11 years, produced four nationally ranked teams including the #3 squad that went 9-1 in 1963. As fans of Pitt's program today we would probably appreciate him more than fans did during that era. At the end of his tenure Pitt football was being de-emphasized again by the egg heads and he had losing seasons in '64 and '65. He did manage to go out with a bang beating Penn State in his finale in 1965.
But in 1959 Pitt played a typical schedule for its 50s and 60s teams with big name powerhouses dotting the schedule. Pitt began the 1959 season by beating Marquette (who dropped football a year later), losing to #11 USC, then beating UCLA. Traveling to USC was no big deal back in those days. After beating Duke at Pitt Stadium, Pitt entered the AP rankings at #20. Losses followed to unranked West Virginia, #16 TCU, and #5 Syracuse. Syracuse went on to win the national championship. But Pitt wouldn't lose again, beating Boston College, Notre Dame, and #7 Penn State. Penn State lost by two points to #1 Syracuse and was a heavy favorite against Pitt. Pitt hammered Penn State 22-7 to finish 6-4. Pitt didn't get an invite to one of the nine bowl games in 1959, but the AP recognized Pitt's tough schedule and strong finish against Penn State by awarding Michelosen's team with a #20 national ranking.
How good of a coach was Johnny Mike? He coached Pitt for 11 years, produced four nationally ranked teams including the #3 squad that went 9-1 in 1963. As fans of Pitt's program today we would probably appreciate him more than fans did during that era. At the end of his tenure Pitt football was being de-emphasized again by the egg heads and he had losing seasons in '64 and '65. He did manage to go out with a bang beating Penn State in his finale in 1965.
