1916 Pittsburgh Panthers football team
The 1916 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1916 college football season. Led by coach Pop Warner, the Panthers won all eight games and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 255 to 25. The team was retroactively selected as the national champion by the Billingsley Report, Helms Athletic Foundation, Houlgate System, and National Championship Foundation, and as a co-national champion with Army by Parke H. Davis.
The lone scare of the 1916 season occurred at Navy when, following a delay of the team's train heading to Annapolis that caused a late arrival, the team overcame several fumbles and eked out a 20–19 victory. The 1916 team was led by center Bob Peck, Pitt's first First Team All-American, and All-American end James Pat Herron, as well as All-Americans fullback Andy Hastings and guard "Tiny" Thornhill. Also on that team were Jock Sutherland and H.C. "Doc" Carlson who would go on to become perhaps Pitt's most legendary coaches in football and basketball, respectively. This Pitt Panthers football team was given the nickname "the greatest eleven in the world."
The 1916 team was selected or recognized as national champions by multiple NCAA-designated major selectors in the official NCAA football records book. The team is also recognized as the national champions by College Football Data Warehouse.Schedule
These are the selectors that determined Pitt to be national champions in 1916.
- 1st-N-Goal
- Alexander Weyand
- Angelo Louisa
- Billingsley Report*
- Bob Kirlin
- Bob Royce
- Century Football Index
- College Football USA
- David Wilson
- Earl Jessen
- George Trevor
- Harry Frye
- Helms Athletic Foundation*
- Houlgate System*
- James Whalen
- Jim Koger
- Loren Maxwell
- Mel Smith
- National Championship Foundation*
- Nutshell Sports Football Ratings
- Parke H. Davis*
- Patrick Premo
* A "major selector" that was "national in scope" according to the official NCAA football records book.All-American selections
- James P. Herron, end
- Bob Peck, center
- Clifford Carlson, end
- Claude "Tiny" Thornhill, guard
- James DeHart, quarterback
- Andy Hastings, halfback
Bold - Consensus All-American