Pitt Football Hosts Notre Dame Amid Dorsett Celebrations

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – This Saturday marks a significant day for No. 22 Pitt football as they host No. 9 Notre Dame for a noon kickoff. This non-conference game signifies a notable return to the Steel City, marking both programs’ popularity and recent performances.

In a historic moment, the Panthers will retire the No. 97 jersey of soon-to-be NFL Hall of Famer Aaron Donald during halftime. The game also celebrates the 50th anniversary of one of football’s best single-game performances. On Nov. 15, 1975, Pitt’s Tony Dorsett rushed for 303 yards against Notre Dame, leading the Panthers to a 34-20 victory.

Commentator Bill Hillgrove, who was present at the 1975 game, recalled, “[Head coach] Johnny Majors was in the process of completely turning the program around. That game was the pivot of taking the program from non-relevant to the national stage.”

Dorsett, a junior that season, achieved a remarkable fourth-place finish in Heisman voting and rushed for 1,544 yards. His performance against the Fighting Irish remains a pivotal highlight of his illustrious career.

Hillgrove also reminisced about his memories of the day when Irish athletic director Moose Krause admitted post-game, “We never made any damn adjustments,” indicating the difficulty Notre Dame faced in containing Dorsett. “How do you adjust to the greatest college running back you’ve ever looked at?” Hillgrove said he thought.

Just a day later, Pitt accepted a bid to the Sun Bowl, where Dorsett rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns, securing their second bowl victory in school history. His legacy continued to grow when, in 1976, he led Pitt to another victory over Notre Dame, rushing for 181 yards in muddy conditions that were deliberately manipulated to slow him down.

The Panthers went on to complete an undefeated season that year, ultimately winning a national championship. Dorsett’s record of 1,948 rushing yards was enough to secure the Heisman trophy the same year.

As Saturday approaches, Pitt’s current running backs Ja’Kyrian Turner, Juelz Goff, and Desmond Reid will attempt to channel Dorsett’s legendary performance. The Panthers seek their first victory against a team ranked within the College Football Playoff since its expansion last season.

Hillgrove acknowledged the challenge, saying, “Notre Dame is really good… [but] this Pitt team has been playing inspired football.”