CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1989 Pittsburgh

8–⁠3–⁠1, coached by Mike Gottfried, then Paul Hackett (interim, bowl game), finished No. 17 in the AP poll.

Schedule and results

Pittsburgh in 1989, game by game: won vs. Pacific 38–3; won at Boston College 29–10; won vs. No. 10 Syracuse 30–23; tied at No. 9 West Virginia 31–31; won at Temple 27–3; won vs. Navy 31–14; lost at No. 1 Notre Dame 7–45; lost vs. No. 7 Miami 3–24; won vs. East Carolina 47–42; lost vs. No. 22 Penn State 13–16; won vs. Rutgers 46–29; won vs. No. 16 Texas A&M 31–28+35−38Won 38–3 vs. Pacific+35PacificWon 29–10 at Boston College+19Boston CollegeWon 30–23 vs. No. 10 Syracuse+7No. 10 SyracuseTied 31–31 at No. 9 West Virginia0No. 9 West VirginiaWon 27–3 at Temple+24TempleWon 31–14 vs. Navy+17NavyLost 7–45 at No. 1 Notre Dame-38No. 1 Notre DameLost 3–24 vs. No. 7 Miami-21No. 7 MiamiWon 47–42 vs. East Carolina+5East CarolinaLost 13–16 vs. No. 22 Penn State-3No. 22 Penn StateWon 46–29 vs. Rutgers+17RutgersWon 31–28 vs. No. 16 Texas A&M+3No. 16 Texas A&M
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below; orange marks an upset win.
DateOpponentResultElo
Sep 2vsPacificW 38–⁠382%
Sep 9atBoston CollegeW 29–⁠1056%
Sep 23vs10SyracuseW 30–⁠2344%
Sep 30at9West VirginiaT 31–⁠3129%
Oct 7atTempleW 27–⁠375%
Oct 14vsNavyW 31–⁠1487%
Oct 28at1Notre DameL 7–⁠4522%
Nov 11vs7MiamiL 3–⁠2436%
Nov 18vsEast CarolinaW 47–⁠4272%
Nov 25vs22Penn StateL 13–⁠1655%
Dec 2vsRutgersW 46–⁠2974%
Dec 30Bowls & playoffvs16Texas A&MJohn Hancock BowlW 31–⁠2842%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Beat Texas A&M 31–⁠28 in the John Hancock Bowl; No. 17 in the final AP poll.

In program history: The 38th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 128 on file).

AP poll, week by week

  1. Wk 1: 20
  2. Wk 2: 23
  3. Wk 3: 14
  4. Wk 4: 13
  5. Wk 5: 10
  6. Wk 6: 8
  7. Wk 7: 9
  8. Wk 8: 8
  9. Wk 9: 7
  10. Wk 10: 14
  11. Wk 11: 14
  12. Wk 12: 19
  13. Wk 13: 19
  14. Wk 14: 24
  15. Wk 15: 24
  16. Wk 16: 23
  17. Final: 17

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 1989.

Record
8–⁠3–⁠1
Conference
4–⁠1–⁠1 2nd in the Major eastern college football independents (Wikipedia)
AP final
No. 17 peak No. 7
Points
333–⁠268
Coach
Mike Gottfried, then Paul Hackett (interim, bowl game)
Elo
1621 +75 this season
SP+ rating
11.4 No. 28 of 103; offense No. 29, defense No. 36
SRS
6.8 No. 33 of 106 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Paul Hackett
Defensive coordinator
Bob Valesente
Offense
Multiple pro-style
Defense
4–⁠3

Drafted in 1990

The 1990 draft
Rd 3Marc Spindler DTDetroit Lions
Rd 4Dean Caliguire CSan Francisco 49ers
Rd 4Alonzo Hampton DBMinnesota Vikings
Rd 6Tom Sims DTKansas City Chiefs