1931 Pittsburgh Panthers football team

1931 Pittsburgh Panthers football
1931 Pittsburgh Panthers football
Co-national champion (Parke H. Davis); Eastern champion
Conference	Independent
1931 record	8–1
Head coach	Jock Sutherland (8th season);
Offensive scheme	Single-wing
Captain	Edward Hirshberg
Home stadium	Pitt Stadium
	Seasons ← 1930 1932 →

The 1931 Pittsburgh Panthers football team, coached by Jock Sutherland, represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1931 college football season. The Panthers finished the regular season with eight wins and a single loss at Notre Dame and were considered the champions of the East.^[1] Parke H. Davis, recognized as a "major selector" in the official NCAA football records book,^[2] named Pitt as one of that season's co-national champions. The team is also recognized as national champion in 1931 by College Football Data Warehouse^[3] and according to a Sports Illustrated study^[4] that has served as the historical basis of the university's historical national championship claims since its original publication.^[5]

Schedule[]

Date	Opponent	Site	Result	Attendance
September 26	Miami (OH)	Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh, PA	W 61–0
October 3	at Iowa	Iowa Stadium Iowa City, IA	W 20–0
October 10	West Virginia	Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)	W 34–0
October 17	Western Reserve	Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh, PA	W 32–0
October 24	at Notre Dame	Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, IN (rivalry)	L 12–25	37,394
October 31	at Penn State	New Beaver Field University Park, PA (rivalry)	W 41–6	7,000
November 7	Carnegie Tech	Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh, PA	W 14–6
November 14	Army	Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh, PA	W 26–0
November 26	Nebraska	Pitt Stadium Pittsburgh, PA	W 40–0

^[6]

List of national championship selectors[]

The 1915 team was selected or recognized as national champions by multiple selectors, of which Parke H. Davis's selection is recognized as "major" (i.e. national in scope) by the official NCAA football records book.^[2] College Football Data Warehouse also recognizes Pitt as a national champion in 1915,^[7] as did a 1970 Sports Illustrated study that has served as the historical basis of the university's historical national championship claims since its original publication.^[5]

These are the selectors that determined Pitt to be national champions in 1931.^[3]

1st-N-Goal
Bob Kirlin
Parke H. Davis*

* A "major" selector that was "national scope" according to the official NCAA football records book.^[2]

All-Americans[]

, center (2nd team Associated Press,^[8] 3rd team Newspaper Editors Association;^[9] 3rd team International News Service;^[10] 1st team Central Press Association;^[11] Lawrence Perry^[12])
James MacMurdo, tackle (2nd team Associated Press,^[8] 3rd team Newspaper Editors Association;^[9] 3rd team International News Service;^[10] Hart, Schaffner and Marx^[13])
Jesse Quatse, Tackle (1st team United Press;^[14] 1st team Collier's Weekly as selected by Grantland Rice;^[15] 2nd team Central Press Association,^[11] Walter Camp Football Foundation;^[16] 1st team College Humor magazine;^[17] All America Board^[18])

*Bold – Consensus All-American^[19]

References[]

^ University of Pittsburgh 1975 football media guide. University of Pittsburgh. 1975. p. 54. Retrieved 2008-08-26.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c 2012 NCAA Football Records (PDF). The National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2012. pp. 69–73. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "1931 National Championships". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
^ Jenkins, Dan (September 11, 1967). "This Year The Fight Will Be In The Open". Sports Illustrated. Chicago. 27 (11): 30–33. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Borghetti, E.J.; Nestor, Mendy; Welsh, Celeste, eds. (2008). 2008 Pitt Football Media Guide (PDF). Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh. p. 156. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
^ "University of Pittsburgh - 1931". College Football Reference. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
^ "1915 National Championships". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved March 4, 2013.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "All Sections of Country Represented on Team; National Honors Given 1931 Grid Star". Reno Evening Gazette. 1931-12-05.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b "Dalrymple Highest Vote-Getter In NEA Board's All-American Team". The Daily News. Frederick, Maryland. 1931-12-14.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Frick, Ford (1931-12-05). "Schwartz and Dalrymple Most Popular Choices on 'Hearst All-American'". Chester Times.
^ Jump up to: ^a ^b Bitt, Bill (Central Sports Editor) (1931-12-09). "Real 1931 All-American Team Selected by College Captains". The Evening Independent. Massillon, Ohio).
^ Perry, Lawrence (1931-12-05). "Gill Named on Perry's U.S. Star Eleven: Baker and Shaver Also Honored by Eastern Grid Expert". Oakland Tribune.
^ "Mythical Team Nominated by Fans Announced". The Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune. 1931-12-11.
^ McLemore, Henry (1931-12-04). "United Press Selects Stellar All-American". The Piqua Daily Call. Ohio.
^ "Munn Placed on Rice's All-American Team: Rentner and Morrison Get Honor Posts". The Evening Tribune. Albert Lea, Minnesota. 1931-12-18.
^ "Walter Camp Football Foundation All-American Selections". Walter Camp Football Foundation. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2008.
^ "All-America Selected by Coll. Humor". The Greeley Daily Tribune. Colorado. 1932-12-31.
^ Christy Walsh (1932-12-11). "ALL-AMERICA BOARD HONORS CAPT. BOB SMITH OF COLGATE". Syracuse Herald.
^ Consensus All-American designations based on the NCAA guide to football award winners Archived 2009-07-14 at the Wayback Machine

[1] University of Pittsburgh 1975 football media guide. University of Pittsburgh. 1975. p. 54. Retrieved 2008-08-26.

[NCAAmajor-2] Jump up to: ^a ^b ^c 2012 NCAA Football Records (PDF). The National Collegiate Athletic Association. 2012. pp. 69–73. Retrieved March 8, 2013.

[CFDWrec-3] Jump up to: ^a ^b "1931 National Championships". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved March 8, 2013.

[4] Jenkins, Dan (September 11, 1967). "This Year The Fight Will Be In The Open". Sports Illustrated. Chicago. 27 (11): 30–33. Archived from the original on July 16, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2013.

[2008_Pitt_Football_Media_Guide-5] Jump up to: ^a ^b Borghetti, E.J.; Nestor, Mendy; Welsh, Celeste, eds. (2008). 2008 Pitt Football Media Guide (PDF). Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh. p. 156. Retrieved 2010-07-07.

[6] "University of Pittsburgh - 1931". College Football Reference. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved March 8, 2013.

[7] "1915 National Championships". College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved March 4, 2013.

[AP1931-8] Jump up to: ^a ^b "All Sections of Country Represented on Team; National Honors Given 1931 Grid Star". Reno Evening Gazette. 1931-12-05.

[NEA1931-9] Jump up to: ^a ^b "Dalrymple Highest Vote-Getter In NEA Board's All-American Team". The Daily News. Frederick, Maryland. 1931-12-14.

[INS1931-10] Jump up to: ^a ^b Frick, Ford (1931-12-05). "Schwartz and Dalrymple Most Popular Choices on 'Hearst All-American'". Chester Times.

[CP1931-11] Jump up to: ^a ^b Bitt, Bill (Central Sports Editor) (1931-12-09). "Real 1931 All-American Team Selected by College Captains". The Evening Independent. Massillon, Ohio).

[12] Perry, Lawrence (1931-12-05). "Gill Named on Perry's U.S. Star Eleven: Baker and Shaver Also Honored by Eastern Grid Expert". Oakland Tribune.

[13] "Mythical Team Nominated by Fans Announced". The Muscatine Journal and News-Tribune. 1931-12-11.

[14] McLemore, Henry (1931-12-04). "United Press Selects Stellar All-American". The Piqua Daily Call. Ohio.

[15] "Munn Placed on Rice's All-American Team: Rentner and Morrison Get Honor Posts". The Evening Tribune. Albert Lea, Minnesota. 1931-12-18.

[16] "Walter Camp Football Foundation All-American Selections". Walter Camp Football Foundation. Archived from the original on 18 December 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2008.

[17] "All-America Selected by Coll. Humor". The Greeley Daily Tribune. Colorado. 1932-12-31.

[18] Christy Walsh (1932-12-11). "ALL-AMERICA BOARD HONORS CAPT. BOB SMITH OF COLGATE". Syracuse Herald.

[19] Consensus All-American designations based on the NCAA guide to football award winners Archived 2009-07-14 at the Wayback Machine

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show v t Pittsburgh Panthers football
Venues	Recreation Park (1898–99) Exposition Park (1900) Schenley Park (1901) Coliseum (1902–03) Exposition Park (1904–08) Forbes Field (1909–24) Pitt Stadium (1925–99) Three Rivers Stadium (2000) Heinz Field (2001–present) UPMC Sports Performance Complex (practice)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Cincinnati (River City Rivalry) Notre Dame Penn State Syracuse West Virginia (Backyard Brawl)
Culture & lore	Panthers "Hail to Pitt" "Pitt Victory Song" Marching band 1921 Backyard Brawl (first college football game to be radio broadcasted) 2007 Backyard Brawl Highest-scoring game
People	Head coaches All-Americans NFL draftees Statistical leaders
Seasons	1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
National championship seasons in bold

show v t College football national champions (pre-AP Poll)
1869–1879	1869: Princeton / Rutgers 1870: Princeton 1871: None 1872: Princeton / Yale 1873: Princeton 1874: Harvard / Princeton / Yale 1875: Columbia / Harvard / Princeton 1876: Yale 1877: Princeton / Yale 1878: Princeton 1879: Princeton
1880s	1880: Princeton / Yale 1881: Princeton / Yale 1882: Yale 1883: Yale 1884: Princeton / Yale 1885: Princeton 1886: Princeton / Yale 1887: Yale 1888: Yale 1889: Princeton
1890s	1890: Harvard 1891: Yale 1892: Yale 1893: Princeton / Yale 1894: Penn / Princeton / Yale 1895: Penn / Yale 1896: Lafayette / Princeton 1897: Penn / Yale 1898: Harvard / Princeton 1899: Harvard / Princeton
1900s	1900: Yale 1901: Harvard / Michigan / Yale 1902: Michigan / Yale 1903: Michigan / Princeton 1904: Michigan / Minnesota / Penn 1905: Chicago / Yale 1906: Princeton / Yale 1907: Yale 1908: Harvard / LSU / Penn 1909: Yale
1910s	1910: Harvard / Pittsburgh 1911: Penn State / Princeton 1912: Harvard / Penn State 1913: Auburn / Chicago / Harvard 1914: Army / Illinois / Texas 1915: Cornell / Minnesota / Oklahoma / Pittsburgh 1916: Army / Georgia Tech / Pittsburgh 1917: Georgia Tech 1918: Michigan / Pittsburgh 1919: Centre / Harvard / Illinois / Notre Dame / Texas A&M
1920s	1920: California / Georgia / Harvard / Notre Dame / Princeton 1921: California / Cornell / Iowa / Lafayette / Washington & Jefferson / Vanderbilt 1922: California / Cornell / Princeton / Vanderbilt 1923: California / Cornell / Illinois / Michigan / Yale 1924: Notre Dame / Penn 1925: Alabama / Dartmouth / Michigan 1926: Alabama / Lafayette / Michigan / Navy / Stanford 1927: Georgia / Illinois / Notre Dame / Texas A&M / Yale 1928: Detroit / Georgia Tech / USC 1929: Notre Dame / Pittsburgh / USC
1930s	1930: Alabama / Notre Dame 1931: Pittsburgh / Purdue / USC 1932: Colgate / Michigan / USC 1933: Michigan / Ohio State / Princeton / USC 1934: Alabama / Minnesota 1935: LSU / Minnesota / Princeton / SMU / TCU

1931 Pittsburgh Panthers football

Co-national champion (Parke H. Davis) Eastern champion
Conference	Independent
1931 record	8–1
Head coach	Jock Sutherland (8th season)
Offensive scheme	Single-wing
Captain	Edward Hirshberg
Home stadium	Pitt Stadium
Seasons ← 1930 1932 →

1931 Eastern college football independents records
v t	Conf			Overall
Team	W	L	T	W		L		T
Colgate		–		8	–	1	–	0
Pittsburgh		–		8	–	1	–	0
Cornell		–		7	–	1	–	0
Drexel		–		7	–	1	–	0
Harvard		–		7	–	1	–	0
Temple		–		8	–	1	–	1
Bucknell		–		6	–	0	–	3
Columbia		–		7	–	1	–	1
Massachusetts State		–		7	–	1	–	1
Syracuse		–		7	–	1	–	1
Fordham		–		6	–	1	–	2
Army		–		8	–	2	–	1
Yale		–		5	–	1	–	2
Franklin & Marshall		–		6	–	2	–	0
Brown		–		7	–	3	–	0
Providence		–		7	–	3	–	0
Penn		–		6	–	3	–	0
NYU		–		6	–	3	–	1
Boston College		–		6	–	4	–	0
Wash. & Jeff		–		6	–	4	–	0
Tufts		–		3	–	2	–	2
Villanova		–		4	–	3	–	2
La Salle		–		4	–	4	–	0
Duquesne		–		3	–	5	–	3
Carnegie Tech		–		3	–	5	–	1
CCNY		–		2	–	5	–	1
Boston University		–		2	–	7	–	0
Penn State		–		2	–	8	–	0
Princeton		–		1	–	7	–	0
Vermont		–		1	–	8	–	0