CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1981 Pittsburgh

11–⁠1, coached by Jackie Sherrill, finished No. 4 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Pittsburgh in 1981, game by game: won vs. Illinois 26–6; won vs. Cincinnati 38–7; won at South Carolina 42–28; won at West Virginia 17–0; won vs. No. 11 Florida State 42–14; won vs. Syracuse 23–10; won at Boston College 29–24; won at Rutgers 47–3; won vs. Army 48–0; won at Temple 35–0; lost vs. No. 11 Penn State 14–48; won vs. No. 2 Georgia 24–20+48−34Won 26–6 vs. Illinois+20IllinoisWon 38–7 vs. Cincinnati+31CincinnatiWon 42–28 at South Carolina+14South CarolinaWon 17–0 at West Virginia+17West VirginiaWon 42–14 vs. No. 11 Florida State+28No. 11 Florida StateWon 23–10 vs. Syracuse+13SyracuseWon 29–24 at Boston College+5Boston CollegeWon 47–3 at Rutgers+44RutgersWon 48–0 vs. Army+48ArmyWon 35–0 at Temple+35TempleLost 14–48 vs. No. 11 Penn State-34No. 11 Penn StateWon 24–20 vs. No. 2 Georgia+4No. 2 Georgia
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 5vsIllinoisW 26–⁠688%
Sep 19vsCincinnatiW 38–⁠791%
Oct 3atSouth CarolinaW 42–⁠2865%
Oct 10atWest VirginiaW 17–⁠061%
Oct 17vs11Florida StateW 42–⁠1463%
Oct 24vsSyracuseW 23–⁠1088%
Oct 31atBoston CollegeW 29–⁠2480%
Nov 7atRutgersW 47–⁠376%
Nov 14vsArmyW 48–⁠095%
Nov 21atTempleW 35–⁠078%
Nov 28vs11Penn StateL 14–⁠4872%
Jan 1Bowls & playoffvs2GeorgiaSugar BowlW 24–⁠2053%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Georgia 24–⁠20 in the Sugar Bowl; No. 4 in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 4th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 128 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 8
  2. Wk 2: 10
  3. Wk 3: 7
  4. Wk 4: 5
  5. Wk 5: 4
  6. Wk 6: 4
  7. Wk 7: 3
  8. Wk 8: 2
  9. Wk 9: 2
  10. Wk 10: 1
  11. Wk 11: 1
  12. Wk 12: 1
  13. Wk 13: 1
  14. Wk 14: 10
  15. Final: 4

Players on this team

Before 2004 our records hold honors and the draft; these are the players whose college years here, from their Wikipedia articles or their honors, include 1981.

Heisman voteDan Marino, fourth

Led the nationDan Marino: passing touchdowns (34 TD); Julius Dawkins: receiving touchdowns (16 TD)

Consensus All-AmericanSal Sunseri, LB

Walter Camp Coach of the YearJackie Sherrill, coach

Record
11–⁠1
Conference
5–⁠1 2nd in the Major eastern college football independents (Wikipedia)
AP final
No. 4 peak No. 1
Points
385–⁠160
Coach
Jackie Sherrill
Elo
1780 +82 this season
SP+ rating
30.3 No. 2 of 132; offense No. 4, defense No. 9
SRS
24.9 No. 5 of 137 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Joe Moore
Defensive coordinator
Foge Fazio
Offense
West Coast
Defense
Multiple front

Drafted in 1982

The 1982 draft
Rd 7Emil Boures CPittsburgh Steelers