POLL: What was Pitt football’s greatest road win?

[cbpitt2]

What was Pitt football's greatest road win?

Obviously games against highly ranked quality opponents have greater meaning and importance than defeating teams that are not highly ranked so that’s why I listed the ones below. Please feel free to mention others.

For example: Tyler Palko’s five-touchdown game against Notre Dame in 2004 is noteworthy and certainly memorable but the Irish were only 6-3 at the time the Panthers beat them 41-38.


2016 @ #2 Clemson 43-42
The 5-4 Panthers came from behind to upset the 9-0 #2-ranked Clemson Tigers despite surrendering 630 yards in offense to the eventual national champions. It would be the lone defeat the Tigers would have in their national championship season. Chris Blewitt hit a 48-yard field goal with six seconds left to slay the undefeated Tigers.

2007 @ #2 West Virginia 13-9
Just say 13-9 and any Pitt or West Virginia fan worth their salt knows what you’re talking about. The 100th meeting of The Backyard Brawl would turn out to be the most memorable game of the rivalry. The 4-7 Panthers were 28 ½ point underdogs to the 10-1 and #2-ranked Mountaineers who were anticipating playing for a national championship. Behind Shady McCoy’s 148 yards on 38 carries the Panthers shook the college football world on a cold night in Morgantown.

2002 @ #3 Virginia Tech 28-21
Behind Brandon Miree’s 23 carries for 161 yards the 6-2 Panthers upset the 8-0 and #3-ranked Hokies in Blacksburg 28-21.

1980 @ #5 Penn State 14-9
The 9-1 and #4 ranked Panthers went into the Lions’ Den and defeated the 9-1 fifth-ranked Nittany Lions 14-9. The Panthers would go on to a Gator Bowl win over South Carolina and finish the season 11-1 and ranked #2 nationally.

1976 @ #11 Notre Dame 31-10
In the season opener for both schools, the #11 Fighting Irish thought they could slow down Tony Dorsett by letting the grass grow as a result of Dorsett rushing for 303 yards against them in 1975. Dorsett still gained 181 yards for the #9 ranked Panthers in the start of what would be a special season for both Dorsett and the Panthers.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Wow. That is a great question. I need to think about that.

 

[DiehardPanther]

What was Pitt football's greatest road win?

Obviously games against highly ranked quality opponents have greater meaning and importance than defeating teams that are not highly ranked so that’s why I listed the ones below. Please feel free to mention others.

For example: Tyler Palko’s five-touchdown game against Notre Dame in 2004 is noteworthy and certainly memorable but the Irish were only 6-3 at the time the Panthers beat them 41-38.


2016 @ #2 Clemson 43-42
The 5-4 Panthers came from behind to upset the 9-0 #2-ranked Clemson Tigers despite surrendering 630 yards in offense to the eventual national champions. It would be the lone defeat the Tigers would have in their national championship season. Chris Blewitt hit a 48-yard field goal with six seconds left to slay the undefeated Tigers.

2007 @ #2 West Virginia 13-9
Just say 13-9 and any Pitt or West Virginia fan worth their salt knows what you’re talking about. The 100th meeting of The Backyard Brawl would turn out to be the most memorable game of the rivalry. The 4-7 Panthers were 28 ½ point underdogs to the 10-1 and #2-ranked Mountaineers who were anticipating playing for a national championship. Behind Shady McCoy’s 148 yards on 38 carries the Panthers shook the college football world on a cold night in Morgantown.

2002 @ #3 Virginia Tech 28-21
Behind Brandon Miree’s 23 carries for 161 yards the 6-2 Panthers upset the 8-0 and #3-ranked Hokies in Blacksburg 28-21.

1980 @ #5 Penn State 14-9
The 9-1 and #4 ranked Panthers went into the Lions’ Den and defeated the 9-1 fifth-ranked Nittany Lions 14-9. The Panthers would go on to a Gator Bowl win over South Carolina and finish the season 11-1 and ranked #2 nationally.

1976 @ #11 Notre Dame 31-10
In the season opener for both schools, the #11 Fighting Irish thought they could slow down Tony Dorsett by letting the grass grow as a result of Dorsett rushing for 303 yards against them in 1975. Dorsett still gained 181 yards for the #9 ranked Panthers in the start of what would be a special season for both Dorsett and the Panthers.

'76 - it was a key victory in our march to the national title.

The 13-9 victory was nice, but it did not even lead to a bowl game. The Pete Gonzalez OT victory over WV was just as significant or possibly more significant to the development of our program.

 

[Las Panteras]

Actually, none of the above....

Pitt beat Georgia in the 77 Sugar Bowl to win the 76 National Title.......in a stadium that was 90% Georgia red

The biggest stage......and Pitt won convincingly.

Quite frankly........this game compared to this poll.......its not even close.

 

[GT74]

The '76 ND road win opening game propelled them toward the undefeated season and national championship. Had they lost that game, it is unlikely they would have gotten a chance to win the NC.

 

[wbrpanther]

Wow. That is a great question. I need to think about that.

I didn't even hesitate. In that 1976 ND game the Domers were going to kick our ass and finally beat up on Tony D. Instead we kicked their collective asses on National TV and set the stage for a National Championship.

 

[HailtoPitt]

The 76 win had to be followed by a string of Pitt victories for it to matter. While great, the victory in and of itself wasn't as big as 13-9.

The 13-9 game booted WVU from the national championship game and a very possible (even probable some think) national championship. WVU winning the NC changes the current landscape. LSU. Florida. Bama. Clemson. Auburn. OSU. Those are the only programs to win the NC since the 13-9 game. If WVU is listed among them, I think it's a huge, huge difference maker. They end up with more coaching consistency. Better recruiting. Perhaps an offer from the SEC or ACC. It would have been a game changer for that program. Now, they are simple just ok and stuck playing in the BigUT conference.

 

[PHATWOOD]

The 76 game set up a title run that wouldn't have been possible without it against a good opponent in a venue that's been tough for Pitt traditionally.

Beating the eventual national champions on their turf when they scored 42 points is wild. Keeping WVU out of the national title game when they ONLY scored 9 points and were hanging half a hundred on everyone for two years is wilder.

I really can't pick. I love them all.

 

[Rezzo]

The 76 win had to be followed by a string of Pitt victories for it to matter. While great, the victory in and of itself wasn't as big as 13-9.

The 13-9 game booted WVU from the national championship game and a very possible (even probable some think) national championship. WVU winning the NC changes the current landscape. LSU. Florida. Bama. Clemson. Auburn. OSU. Those are the only programs to win the NC since the 13-9 game. If WVU is listed among them, I think it's a huge, huge difference maker. They end up with more coaching consistency. Better recruiting. Perhaps an offer from the SEC or ACC. It would have been a game changer for that program. Now, they are simple just ok and stuck playing in the BigUT conference.

October 30 1976, Pitt beat Syracuse 23 to 13, Pitt was leading 16 to 13 late in the game and Syracuse and Bill Hurley had the ball on Pitt's 30 yard line 4th and 1, Syracuse went for it and Pitt stopped them on a play by Al Romano. That was the closest Pitt came to losing that year. That was IMO the most important game, kept their season perfect for the national title!!!!!

 

[Rezzo]

October 30 1976, Pitt beat Syracuse 23 to 13, Pitt was leading 16 to 13 late in the game and Syracuse and Bill Hurley had the ball on Pitt's 30 yard line 4th and 1, Syracuse went for it and Pitt stopped them on a play by Al Romano. That was the closest Pitt came to losing that year. That was IMO the most important game, kept their season perfect for the national title!!!!!

Sorry I just realized the question was best road win, that Cuse game was home, still it was a big win

 

[pittmeister]

Only one game on the list really meant anything, and that was the win against ND. The others were outstanding wins, but the 1976 ND win set the tone for the championship season

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

Technically the game in 76 against Penn State at Three Rivers was a Penn State home game, so I'll pick that one!

 

[BuffetParrothead]

It was a cold day in PA when PITT played the Hoopies in 2007.
During close games I sometimes go in the garage, play with my golf clubs, my three Jeep vehicles, fishing stuff, kayaks, to relieve the stress, waiting to hear my wife scream and yell go PITT.
Depending where I go, if PITT does well, Mrs Buffett ( she's small but tough) banishes me to that location for the duration of the game.
So on a cold day in PA where did I go to relieve the stress of a close game ?Outside on the deck ( big mistake the garage is warmer and has a refrig loaded with beer) in shorts and a PITT sweatshirt??
We won, I froze, but it was worth it to beat the Hoopies, knocking them out of National Champ contention and watching Rich Rod cry in the post game interview!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JED_72]

Actually, none of the above....

Pitt beat Georgia in the 77 Sugar Bowl to win the 76 National Title.......in a stadium that was 90% Georgia red

The biggest stage......and Pitt won convincingly.

Quite frankly........this game compared to this poll.......its not even close.

That is the game I was going to suggest, too.

 

[Malachi Constant]

Somewhere along the line the full 2007 Backyard Brawl was uploaded to YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvK2OOHjQvQ

 

[Farnox]

I voted for WVU win in 2007. That was a game that no one gave Pitt a chance to win, but
knocking the hoopies out of the NCG was even sweeter.

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

13-9 was the least probable. I dunno if that makes it the best.

Clemson was highly improbable as well but we knew we had a powerful offense and it wasn't a total shock to stay with them.

WVU was a tremendous shock, an absolute surprise.

 

[Swervin27]

how is a game where it gets us to 5 wins an important road win? Because we played spoiler to wvu? Man, that is little brother syndrome there folks. something we usually save for psu, not wvu..

 

[bubba31]

I voted for WVU win in 2007. That was a game that no one gave Pitt a chance to win, but
knocking the hoopies out of the NCG was even sweeter.

so breaking your rival's heart is sweeter than winning a national title sugar bowl?

in our little corner of the world beating ND or WVU or PSU is great

but on a national scale...going to New Orleans and taking apart Georgia and their home crowd....

cmon guys....its not even close.

Las Panteras is spot on here......

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

I didn't even hesitate. In that 1976 ND game the Domers were going to kick our ass and finally beat up on Tony D. Instead we kicked their collective asses on National TV and set the stage for a National Championship.

Yeah I guess I would have to put that at the top, despite me being really too young to appreciate. But given the whole scenario and what followed (propelling Pitt to the National Title) that would have to be it.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

so breaking your rival's heart is sweeter than winning a national title sugar bowl?

in our little corner of the world beating ND or WVU or PSU is great

but on a national scale...going to New Orleans and taking apart Georgia and their home crowd....

cmon guys....its not even close.

Las Panteras is spot on here......

But the Sugar Bowl is not "technically" a home game and not on the list.

 

[upj87]

Wow. That is a great question. I need to think about that.

Actually, none of the above....

Pitt beat Georgia in the 77 Sugar Bowl to win the 76 National Title.......in a stadium that was 90% Georgia red

The biggest stage......and Pitt won convincingly.

Actually, none of the above....

Pitt beat Georgia in the 77 Sugar Bowl to win the 76 National Title.......in a stadium that was 90% Georgia red

The biggest stage......and Pitt won convincingly.

Quite frankly........this game compared to this poll.......its not even close.

quite frankly I do not consider a win against a significantly inferior team a great win. I see it as an assumed win.

 

[cbpitt2]

Actually, none of the above....

Pitt beat Georgia in the 77 Sugar Bowl to win the 76 National Title.......in a stadium that was 90% Georgia red

The biggest stage......and Pitt won convincingly.

Quite frankly........this game compared to this poll.......its not even close.

If in the national championship game, Pitt's first national championship game in nearly 40 years, and Pitt fans equaled only 10% of the crowd, shame on Pitt fans and alums. 10%? Surely, Pitt wasn't offered just 10% of the ticket distribution Las P.
I was a few years away from driving back in '76. It wasn't like the game was in a boring city either.

 

[cbpitt2]

Only one game on the list really meant anything, and that was the win against ND. The others were outstanding wins, but the 1976 ND win set the tone for the championship season

What the younger crowd fails to realize was beating Notre Dame back then was a much, much greater accomplishment than beating Notre Dame in the last 20 years.

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

What the younger crowd fails to realize was beating Notre Dame back then was a much, much greater accomplishment than beating Notre Dame in the last 20 years.

I think you have to list, weight, and rate the level of opponent (in context of its era), the stakes (there should have meaning for not just one but both teams), degree of underdog factor and incidentals (like how suicidal it made the opponent feel). The weighting really matters though. For the above, the latter factor, the 13-9 win gets a 10. Beating them destroyed their coach, the players, their fans. They really never did recover.

But how high would you weight that against the stake factor (for BOTH teams). It was high for WVU ... could even be a big reason they are stuck in a horrible dying conference, since a national championship might have put them more in serious consideration for a good conference. But it was really a meaningless win for Pitt. Made us 5-7 and we started the next season just as sucky, with one of Pitt's worst losses ever. That drags down the weight IMO.

The Clemson win oddly gets reduced in stake weighting because Clemson went on to win the NC anyway. And we finished disappointingly.

Others like the PSU game, no huge bigee. We were a great program then. That was no shock.

VT scores higher than most think because it definitely held them back and likely sent them downward. And we got a nice boost from it. But it seems to lose out on the incidentals. I just don't hate those guys enough to think of it as a legendary game. .

The more I think of it, the more I vote for that ND game.

 

[Black Panther]

I voted for WVU win in 2007. That was a game that no one gave Pitt a chance to win, but
knocking the hoopies out of the NCG was even sweeter.

I agree...It kept us from a wvu vs osu national title game.Talk about making your eyes bleed.

 

[4Mark_Marty]

so breaking your rival's heart is sweeter than winning a national title sugar bowl?

in our little corner of the world beating ND or WVU or PSU is great

but on a national scale...going to New Orleans and taking apart Georgia and their home crowd....

cmon guys....its not even close.

Las Panteras is spot on here......

I agree with what you've said, but I was 7 years old in 1976. I barely remember the game. The only players I can recall from that team are Dorsett and Cavanaugh.

I think a lot of posters are in my age range or younger and 1977 is somewhat ancient history.

 

[HOF Coach]

I think you have to list, weight, and rate the level of opponent (in context of its era), the stakes (there should have meaning for not just one but both teams), degree of underdog factor and incidentals (like how suicidal it made the opponent feel). The weighting really matters though. For the above, the latter factor, the 13-9 win gets a 10. Beating them destroyed their coach, the players, their fans. They really never did recover.

But how high would you weight that against the stake factor (for BOTH teams). It was high for WVU ... could even be a big reason they are stuck in a horrible dying conference, since a national championship might have put them more in serious consideration for a good conference. But it was really a meaningless win for Pitt. Made us 5-7 and we started the next season just as sucky, with one of Pitt's worst losses ever. That drags down the weight IMO.

The Clemson win oddly gets reduced in stake weighting because Clemson went on to win the NC anyway. And we finished disappointingly.

Others like the PSU game, no huge bigee. We were a great program then. That was no shock.

VT scores higher than most think because it definitely held them back and likely sent them downward. And we got a nice boost from it. But it seems to lose out on the incidentals. I just don't hate those guys enough to think of it as a legendary game. .

The more I think of it, the more I vote for that ND game.

 

[Rickey]

I've been to most all Pitt home games and maybe 50-60% of all Pitt away games since 1975......and there is NO question, Pitt's last second victory over Georgia on the Dan Marino toss to John Brown in the Sugar Bowl (I was one of the 10%), in my mind, WAS THE GREATEST PITT VICTORY OF ALL TIME.

The Georgia fans were twice as obnoxious as any Hoopie fan. And it was sweet to see all the Bulldog fans taking off their red bulldog T shirts in shame after the game. I was up till 5:00 am on Bourbon Street.

AND unfortunately, it was Pitt's zenith, after which, the big slide downward began with Jackie Sherill being humiliated by Bozik, leaving for A& M, and the disastrous Foge Fazio era beginning.

But what memories. ❤️

 

[cbpitt2]

How can any victory NOT for a national championship be considered the GREATEST PITT VICTORY OF ALL TIME????

 

[ameoba defense]

I've been to most all Pitt home games and maybe 50-60% of all Pitt away games since 1975......and there is NO question, Pitt's last second victory over Georgia on the Dan Marino toss to John Brown in the Sugar Bowl (I was one of the 10%), in my mind, WAS THE GREATEST PITT VICTORY OF ALL TIME.

The Georgia fans were twice as obnoxious as any Hoopie fan. And it was sweet to see all the Bulldog fans taking off their red bulldog T shirts in shame after the game. I was up till 5:00 am on Bourbon Street.

AND unfortunately, it was Pitt's zenith, after which, the big slide downward began with Jackie Sherill being humiliated by Bozik, leaving for A& M, and the disastrous Foge Fazio era beginning.

But what memories. ❤️

First, that wasn't a road game, I don't care how many Georgia fans were there. Two, although it was a very satisfying victory, it was largely meaningless. The game in 1977 won the title, and it wasn't a road game either. Since we're not going back to the 1930s, the ND game is easily the answer. At a time when Eastern Football was looked upon as a joke, that win legitimized Pitt as a true national contender, and set us up to be able to compete for the title, which we won. Beating ND on the road was seen as a tremendous accomplishment. The only other team on our schedule that had any prestige was Penn St., and many still questioned their pedigree at that time.

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

How can any victory NOT for a national championship be considered the GREATEST PITT VICTORY OF ALL TIME????

A greed

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

View embedded media

This still never, ever gets old. I can watch this over and over and over again.

 

[Dr. von Yinzer]

What was Pitt football's greatest road win?

Obviously games against highly ranked quality opponents have greater meaning and importance than defeating teams that are not highly ranked so that’s why I listed the ones below. Please feel free to mention others.

For example: Tyler Palko’s five-touchdown game against Notre Dame in 2004 is noteworthy and certainly memorable but the Irish were only 6-3 at the time the Panthers beat them 41-38.


2016 @ #2 Clemson 43-42
The 5-4 Panthers came from behind to upset the 9-0 #2-ranked Clemson Tigers despite surrendering 630 yards in offense to the eventual national champions. It would be the lone defeat the Tigers would have in their national championship season. Chris Blewitt hit a 48-yard field goal with six seconds left to slay the undefeated Tigers.

2007 @ #2 West Virginia 13-9
Just say 13-9 and any Pitt or West Virginia fan worth their salt knows what you’re talking about. The 100th meeting of The Backyard Brawl would turn out to be the most memorable game of the rivalry. The 4-7 Panthers were 28 ½ point underdogs to the 10-1 and #2-ranked Mountaineers who were anticipating playing for a national championship. Behind Shady McCoy’s 148 yards on 38 carries the Panthers shook the college football world on a cold night in Morgantown.

2002 @ #3 Virginia Tech 28-21
Behind Brandon Miree’s 23 carries for 161 yards the 6-2 Panthers upset the 8-0 and #3-ranked Hokies in Blacksburg 28-21.

1980 @ #5 Penn State 14-9
The 9-1 and #4 ranked Panthers went into the Lions’ Den and defeated the 9-1 fifth-ranked Nittany Lions 14-9. The Panthers would go on to a Gator Bowl win over South Carolina and finish the season 11-1 and ranked #2 nationally.

1976 @ #11 Notre Dame 31-10
In the season opener for both schools, the #11 Fighting Irish thought they could slow down Tony Dorsett by letting the grass grow as a result of Dorsett rushing for 303 yards against them in 1975. Dorsett still gained 181 yards for the #9 ranked Panthers in the start of what would be a special season for both Dorsett and the Panthers.

I like that question as well but I'm gonna have to go with 13-9. That win denied one of our fiercest rivals a chance at the national championship and basically sent them into a tailspin from which they have still not fully recovered. That would be my choice even though there are other excellent choices out there as well.

 

[bubba31]

At a time when Eastern Football was looked upon as a joke, that win legitimized Pitt as a true national contender, and set us up to be able to compete for the title, which we won.

SO.......winning a game that means you are a serious contender for a title is greater than winning the title itself?

I highly doubt Georgia felt that way the night they got their asses kicked.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

yinz guys are missing the best road win at WVU, which I put down as one of the best road wins (although tough to say beating the national champs on the road last year wasn't the best).

That would be the 1996 game at WVU, 3OTs (?), 41-35 or something like that? WVU had been cleaning our clock for the entire decade and was due some payback. This game kind of brought to an end the whole dark period of Majors 2, Hacket, the Killer B's and Oval Jaynes and ensured a winning regular season and a bowl for the 1st time since the Sun bowl. One of the happiest I remember being after a win

 

[Revenge Of The Noise]

yinz guys are missing the best road win at WVU, which I put down as one of the best road wins (although tough to say beating the national champs on the road last year wasn't the best).

That would be the 1996 game at WVU, 3OTs (?), 41-35 or something like that? WVU had been cleaning our clock for the entire decade and was due some payback. This game kind of brought to an end the whole dark period of Majors 2, Hacket, the Killer B's and Oval Jaynes and ensured a winning regular season and a bowl for the 1st time since the Sun bowl. One of the happiest I remember being after a win

Definitely a crazy game and fun win