Pitt and Penn State’s 100th meeting Saturday coincides neatly with college football’s 150th anniversary season. To mark the latter occasion, ESPN ranked the top 150 teams of all time in a post published Tuesday, and the Panthers and Nittany Lions’ rivalry is well represented.
Seven teams from Penn State and three from Pitt made the list. Combined, the schools account for nearly 7% of all the teams selected.
Penn State’s undefeated 1994 squad — which celebrated its 25th anniversary at Beaver Stadium this past weekend — earned the highest ranking among the group at No. 16 overall.
“This might have been [Joe Paterno’s] best team, even if the voters snubbed the Nittany Lions in favor of Nebraska,” ESPN’s explanation reads. “Penn State averaged 47 points (and never fewer than 31), thanks to an offense led by quarterback Kerry Collins, tailback Ki-Jana Carter and tight end Kyle Brady, all of whom were selected among the first 10 players in the 1995 NFL draft.”
The six other Penn State teams that made the list were:
● No. 26: 1986 (12-0, national champions)
● No. 46: 1969 (11-0)
● No. 60: 1973 (12-0)
●N o. 79: 1982 (11-1, national champions)
● No. 83: 1968 (11-0)
● No. 99: 1978 (11-1)
Pitt’s top-ranked squad was the 1976 group at No. 22 overall. That unbeaten team won the national title behind Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett.
“The Panthers cruised to their first national title since 1937 by steamrollering nearly every opponent,” ESPN explained. “Only West Virginia came within eight points of the Panthers, who didn't become No. 1 until only three games remained, two of them against ranked teams. The Panthers defeated cross-state rival No. 16 Penn State 24-7, then routed No. 5 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl 27-3.”
Pitt’s other two teams on the list were the 1980 squad, which went 11-1 and was ranked at No. 109, and coach Jock Sutherland’s 1937 national champions, who went 9-0-1 and came in at No. 142.
The teams were selected from 210 finalists identified by ESPN’s Sports & Information group. A group of 150 media members, athletic administrators, players and coaches voted for the winners.
Nebraska’s undefeated 1971 team topped the list, followed by 2004 and 1972 Southern California, 1995 Nebraska and 2018 Clemson.
Adam Bittner: abittner@post-gazette.com and Twitter @fugimaster24.
First Published: September 10, 2019, 3:29 p.m.