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 were undefeated on the season with an 8–0 record and outscored their opponents by a combined total of 255 to 25. The team was retroactively selected as the national champion for 1916 by the Billingsley Report (using its alternate "margin of victory" methodology), Helms Athletic Foundation, Houlgate System, and National Championship Foundation, and as a co-national champion with Army by Parke H. Davis.

Contents

• List of national championship selectors
• All American selections
• References

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 Robert 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 selectors which are recognized as "major" (i.e. national in scope) in the official NCAA football records book. The team is also recognized as the 1916 national champions by College Football Data Warehouse, as well as a 1970 Sports Illustrated study that has served as the historical basis of the university's historical national championship claims since its original publication.