High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The 1976 college football season ended with a championship for the Panthers of the University of Pittsburgh. Coached by Johnny Majors (voted the AFCA Coach of the Year), the Pitt Panthers brought a college football championship to the home of the defending pro football champions, the Steelers. Pitt also had the Heisman Trophy winner, Tony Dorsett. At the beginning of the season, the Panthers had been ranked #9 in the AP poll.