The 1954 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh as an independent in the 1954 college football season. The Panthers lost their first three games of the season under third year head coach Red Dawson, before he stepped down due to poor health. Pittsburgh's athletic director, Tom Hamilton, appointed himself interim head coach and led the team to a 4–2 record over their final six games of the season.^[1] Pittsburgh finished the year with a record of 4–5.^[2]

After being rumored to be headed to the University of Minnesota, Coach Dawson returned for his third season as Pitt coach.^[5] The Panthers Athletic Department added line coach Bill Bevan to Dawson's staff, which allowed Bob Timmons to coach basketball after November 1.^[6]

On March 29, Coach Dawson welcomed more than 60 student-athletes to his third spring practice. The initial roster included 18 lettermen, 22 sophomores from the previous year's freshmen team, 2 transfers and an Army returnee. Quarterback Bill Amos and tackle Jim Dalrymple transferred from Maryland, and end Walt Belich, who played for Pitt in 1950, returned from his service duty. Drills were held Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. No drills were held on Tuesdays and Fridays due to late labs for the medical, dental and engineering students. The NCAA allowed for 20 days of drills. The session ended on May 8 with a football clinic for high school coaches and an intra-squad game.^[7][8]

Fall practice was held on campus at the Ellsworth Center Field. 53 candidates began two-a-day drills on September 1 to prepare for the season opener on September 24 in Los Angeles, CA. Coach Dawson was upbeat: “We had our first decent freshman team last fall...20 of our 24 freshmen are back. That's a pretty good record.” But even with the added depth, the Panthers had the usual brutal schedule to contend with.^[9]

On September 24,(a rare Friday night game), the Panthers opened their season against the USC Trojans in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Pitt and USC were tied 2–2 all-time. USC beat the Panthers in the 1930 and 1933 Rose Bowl games, but then Pitt won the 1934 and 1935 regular season meetings.^[12] Fourth-year Coach Jess Hill's Trojans were 1–0, having beaten Washington State 39–0.^[13]

Coach Dawson's 46-member squad left on Wednesday morning. After a 9-hour Pan American flight, they arrived in LA, and had a “workout under the lights at the Coliseum.” Radio Station KDKA broadcast the game back to Pittsburgh.^[14]

Pitt tied the Trojans 7–7 through three quarters, but gave up 3 touchdowns in the fourth and lost their opening game 27–7. USC substitute running back Jon Arnett scored three touchdowns on runs of 1, 2 and 25 yards, and Lindon Crow caught a 66-yard touchdown pass from Ellsworth Kissinger late in the game. The Trojans converted 3 of 4 extra points. The Panthers answered the first USC touchdown with a 49-yard touchdown pass from Henry Ford to end Dick Scherer. Gene Steratore booted the extra point. At the start of the final period, Pitt fullback Tom Jenkins injured his ankle and had to be helped off the field. At the time Jenkins was the Panthers leading rusher and a stalwart on defense. Pitt end Joe Paluck and Trojan tackle Frank Pavich were ejected for fighting.^[15][16]

Henry Ford rushed 16 times for 69 yards and Tom Jenkins had 12 carries for 54 yards before his injury. USC's Jon Arnett led all rushers with 118 yards on 15 carries.^[15]

The Pitt starting lineup for the game against USC was Joe Walton (left end), Lou Palatella (left tackle), Ed Stowe (left guard), John Cenc (center), Al Bolkovac (right guard), Eldred Kraemer (right tackle), Joe Paluck (right end), Rudy Mattioli (quarterback), Henry Ford (left halfback), Ambrose Bagamery (right halfback) and Tom Jenkins (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pittsburgh were Bob McQuaide, Fred Glatz, Bill Cessar, Bob Pollack, Harold Hunter, Bob Ballock, Ed Bose, Joe Los, Bill Schmitt, Herman Canil, Howard Linn, Dick Scherer, Darrell Lewis, Jim Lenhart, Corny Salvaterra, Charles Cost, Nick Passodelis, Gene Steratore, Richie McCabe and Robert Grier.^[15]

On October 2, the Panthers played their home opener against the Minnesota Gophers. Minnesota led the all-time series 7–0 and had out-scored the Panthers 197–38.^[17] First-year Coach Murray Warmath's squad was 1–0, having beaten Nebraska (19–7). Quarterback/kicker Gino Cappelletti, halfback Bob McNamara and end Gordy Soltau were future pros in the Minnesota lineup.

Coach Dawson's team depth was diminished as starting fullback Tom Jenkins, substitute quarterback Darrell Jenkins, end Dick Scherer and halfback Corny Salvaterra were all injured in the USC game. Jenkins was replaced by sophomore Nick Passodelis in the starting lineup.^[18]

Minnesota ran their record against the Panthers to 8–0 with a resounding 46–7 win. Minnesota led 13–0 at the end of the opening quarter on a 24-yard touchdown pass from Gino Cappelletti to Bob McNamara and a 3-yard run by Frank Backman. Cappelletti converted 1 of two extra points. The Panthers only score came in the second quarter. It was all Henry Ford. He returned a punt to the Minnesota 41-yard line, ran 37 yards around end to the 4-yard line and then ran into the end zone for the score. Ambrose Bagamery converted the extra point. The second half was all Minnesota as they scored 5 touchdowns. Early in the third period, Bob McNamara returned a punt 65-yards for a touchdown. Pitt fumbles led to two more third quarter scores, and the Gophers subs managed to score twice in the final stanza. The favored Panthers lost three fumbles and had three passes intercepted. They earned 7 first downs on 108 total yards gained.^[19][20]

The Pitt starting lineup for the game against Minnesota was Joe Walton (left end), Lou Palatella (left tackle), Ed Stowe (left guard), John Cenci (center), Al Bolkovac (right guard), Eldred Kraemer (right tackle), Joe Paluck (right end), Rudy Mattioli (quarterback), Henry Ford (left halfback), Ambrose Bagamery (right halfback) and Nick Passodelis (fullback). Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Bob McQuaide, Bill Cessar, Bob Pollack, Harold Hunter, Bob Ballock, Ed Bose, Joe Los, Bill Schmitt, Howard Linn, Jim Lenhart, Charles Cost, Gene Steratore, Richie McCabe, Robert Grier, Glen Dillon, Dale Brown, Bill Amos, Lou Cimarolli and Pete Neft.^[19]