In its fourth and final season under head coach Joseph H. Thompson, the team compiled a 3–6 record and was outscored by a total of 122 to 113.

The fourth quarter was the same story until with less than two minutes to play, McEllroy threw a 40 yard scoring pass to Hube Wagner, "who was easily the star of the contest."

[25] The Pitt lineup for the game against Ohio Northern was Hube Wagner, Sam Kipp and Roy Collins (left end), John Blair and William Dunn (left tackle), William Leahy and Mark Hoag (left guard), Ralph Galvin and Carl Hockensmith (center), Wayne Smith and George Gehlert (right guard), Enoch Pratt and Isadore Shapira (right tackle), Justice Egbert and Harry Blumenthal (right end), William McEllroy and Fred Ward (quarterback), Harry Shof, Mont Sanderson and Philip Dillon (left halfback), Frank Corboy and John Winters (right halfback), and Chuck Reese, Ralph Galvin and Roy Kernohan (fullback).

[26] The Pittsburgh Press wrote: "With big "Polly" Galvin on the hospital list and "Red" Smith, one of the three veteran players starting the game, banished to the side lines in the first few minutes of play, University of Pittsburgh had all kinds of trouble with the aggressive Westminster College eleven in their annual gridiron engagement on Forbes Field.

The Pitt offense "got their attack organized" with Philip Dillon racing 38 yards to the visitors 2-yard line as time was called to end the half.

[27] In the fourth quarter, "With defeat staring them in the face, the Pitt backfield started to show some signs of aggressiveness and the Westminster eleven was kept in hot water all the time defending their goal.

"[4] A series of line bucks and a 37 yard dash by Dillon put the ball in scoring territory but Ward missed the field goal.

[29] On October 12 the Bucknell football team led by coach Byron W. Dickson arrived at Forbes Field to try to earn their first victory over the University of Pittsburgh eleven.

On fourth down Bucknell fullback "Topham had the ball but Hube Wagner got back of the line and tackled him for a loss of three yards.

Coach Thompson stated: "We were beaten by a team that played better football, and while I maintain that Connelly's run scored us a touchdown, everything is over and we can't change matters.

[5][30] The Pittsburg Press reported: "Playing an article of football that surprised even their most ardent admirers, Glenn Warner's Carlisle Indian squad swooped down on Pitt yesterday at Forbes Field and made their escape with another scalp.

"[33] And Richard Guy of The Gazette Times summed it up best: "The University of Pittsburgh football team showed its best form of the season yesterday afternoon at Forbes Field, but despite this improvement it was outclassed by the Indians from Carlisle.

After an offside penalty moved the ball back to the fifteen, "Welch slipped past Pitt's right end for 15 yards and a touchdown.

Coach Thompson elaborated: "Galvin was badly laid up by Thorpe's tackle just as he crossed the Indians goal line for our touchdown last Saturday and we will positively not use him until the W. & J. game.

"[37] Early in the first period Navy advanced the ball deep into Pitt territory and Carl Hockensmith was injured and had to be replaced by John Blair.

"[7] In spite of the loss and season ending injury to Carl Hockensmith, "the trip to Annapolis was a most enjoyable one for the Pitt players and students.

[38][7] On November 2, the 1912 Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team, undefeated in their past fifteen games (12–0–3), came east to take on the University of Pittsburgh eleven.

The Pitt lineup was minus starters: center Ralph Galvin, tackle Carl Hockensmith and quarterback William McEllroy.

"[43] The Pittsburgh Press reported:"Coming here heralded as the greatest team in the entire west and making no attempt to conceal their belief that a score of at least 30 would be rolled up against coach "Joe" Thompson's youngsters, the Catholic footballers were glad to get away with a 3–0 victory.

[8] The second half mirrored the first as Pitt advanced the ball to the Notre Dame 9-yard line but the play was called back for a holding penalty.

"[44] Notre Dame assistant coach Marks lauded Hube Wagner to The Pittsburgh Press: "That man is one of the greatest players I ever saw perform.

[9] On November 16, the Washington & Jefferson Red and Black led by first-year coach Bob Folwell came into their 1912 game with Pitt sporting a 4–3–1 record.

[49] The Gazette Times reported: "It was the biggest football day Pittsburgh has seen in years...Pitt lost (13–0) only after a good fight, and the 12,000 friends and foes who saw the blue and gold lose said it was an honorable defeat.

The Red and Black had the game well in hand most of the time, and I am sure that every Washington and Jefferson man in the country feels proud of its performance in avenging the string of defeats inflicted by Pitt in past encounters."

Coach Thompson enlisted the aid of former players – Karl Dallenbach, and George Brown to prepare the squad for Penn State.

But the annual struggle between University of Pittsburgh gridders and the sterling warriors of Pennsylvania State College at Forbes Field yesterday afternoon cannot be dismissed with the same brevity that the old Roman general used in describing his conquests.

On first down after the kick-off, Hube Wagner's pass was intercepted by Punk Berryman and Penn State tacked on seven more points to lead 31 to 0 at the end of three quarters.

[58] Penn State finished the season 8–0 and was named co-National Champion by the National Championship Foundation an NCAA-designated major selector.

[62] John "Hube" Wagner was elected Captain of the 1913 Pitt football team at the year end banquet following the Penn State game.

Additionally, Alfred R. Hamilton, an alumni member of the General Athletic Committee, offered the use of his farm to the team for the month of September for preseason practice.