Pitt Panthers College Football. 5 Cool Facts
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Pitt Panthers College Football. 5 Cool Facts |
Pitt was one of the first college football teams to use a mascot, and their original mascot was a real panther named "Lucky." Lucky was acquired in 1921 and lived on campus in a large cage until his death in 1930. Today, Pitt's mascot is an anthropomorphic panther named Roc.
Pitt has produced many NFL stars, including Dan Marino, Tony Dorsett, and Aaron Donald. In fact, Pitt is one of only six schools to have multiple winners of both the Heisman Trophy and the Lombardi
Award. This award is given to thebest lineman or linebacker in college football.In 1937, Pitt had an undefeated season and won the national championship. The team was known as the "Dream Backfield" and featured four future NFL players: Marshall Goldberg, Bill Daddio, Dick Cassiano, and John Chickerneo.
Pitt's home stadium, Heinz Field, is unique in that it is shared with the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers. This means that Pitt plays on a field with NFL markings, and the stadium's design is tailored to accommodate both football teams.
In 2016, Pitt pulled off one of the biggest upsets in college football history when they defeated the second-ranked Clemson Tigers. The game ended with a last-second field goal by Pitt kicker Chris Blewitt, and the win helped Pitt finish the season with an 8-5 record.