Chancellor John Bowman was not happy that the football team turned down the 1938 Rose Bowl bid and essentially cost the University the $100,000 payday.

"[16] David Finoli noted in When Pitt Ruled the Gridiron: "Bowman decided he would tighten the noose around the program by taking away the $300 payments of their tuition unless they worked even more hours a day to pay for it starting with the 1938 freshman class....The student-athletes would also be required to move along with their class if they wanted to be eligible to play, which, while an understandable requirement from an academic standpoint, in major college football at the time was almost a death knell.

"[18] At a Westmoreland County Pitt Club meeting, when asked about the specifics of the restrictive plans, Coach Sutherland would only say: "It looks like we have made the mistake of winning too many football games.

Halfback Harold Stebbins tallied twice and Dick Cassiano, Ben Kish and Marshall Goldberg scored the other touchdowns for the first team.

In the fourth quarter, Halfback Emil Narick caught a touchdown pass from Charles Shea for the second team score.

After posting an 8–1–1 record the previous season, including a Sun Bowl victory over Texas Tech, the Mountaineers were confident they could break their 9-year losing streak to the Panthers.

The Pitt second string offense sustained a 9-play, 80-yard drive with Lawrence Peace, Robert Thurbon and Frank Goodell gaining yardage.

Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Joseph Rettinger, Thaddeus Konetsky, Ralph Hafer, Joseph Cambal, Gerald Lewis, Richard Fullerton, Harris Hawkins, Harold Klein, Rudolph Gradisek, Paul Foley, Arthur Corace, Albert Gurczenski, Ben Asavitch, Frank Kristofek, John Dickinson, Jack Goodridge, Charles Fleming, Ben Kish, Walter Fridley, Robert Thurbon, George Kracum, Lawrence Peace, Emil Narick, Ernest Bonnelli, Frank Goodell, Michael Sekela and Alvin Leber.

Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Joseph Rettinger, John Dickinson, John Goodridge, Albert Gurczenski, Thaddeus Konetsky, Frank Kristofek, Ralph Hafer, Rudolph Gradisek, Harold Klein, Harris Hawkins, Richard Fullerton, Michael Sekela, Robert Thurbon, Ben Kish, Alvin Leber, Emil Narick, Lawrence Peace, Ernest Bonnelli, George Kracum and Frank Goodell.

[48] On October 15, the Panther squad traveled to Madison, WI to meet third-year coach Harry Stuhldreher's unbeaten Wisconsin Badgers.

On Thursday evening, thirty-three players departed westward from Pittsburgh's Pennsylvania Train Station, and arrived in Janesville, WI on Friday morning.

The first quarter was scoreless, but the Panthers managed to get on the scoreboard late in the half with a 61-yard drive ending with Marshall Goldberg's 2-yard touchdown plunge.

Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Joseph Rettinger, Thaddeus Konetsky, Rudolph Gradisek, Richard Fullerton, Harold Klein, Albert Gurczenski, Ralph Hafer, John Dickinson, John Goodridge, Ben Kish, Michael Sekela, Robert Thurbon, Emil Narick, Lawrence Peace, Charles Fleming, Frank Kristufek, Gerald Lewis, Paul Foley, Harris Hawkins, Charles Shea, Ernest Bonnelli and Frank Goodell.

The Panther offense scored the first time it gained possession, with a 55-yard drive that ended with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Harold Stebbins to John Chickerneo.

Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Joseph Rettinger, Thaddeus Konetsky, Ralph Hafer, Joseph Cambal, Gerald Lewis, Richard Fullerton, Harris Hawkins, Harold Klein, Rudolph Gradisek, Paul Foley, Albert Gurczenski, Ben Asavitch, Frank Kristufek, John Dickinson, Jack Goodridge, Charles Fleming, Ben Kish, Walter Fridley, Robert Thurbon, George Kracum, Lawrence Peace, Emil Narick, Ernest Bonnelli, Frank Goodell, Michael Sekela, Charles Shea, John Benz and Alvin Leber.

[68] On November 6, the Carnegie Tech Tartans led by 2nd-year coach Bill Kern came to Pitt Stadium with a 4–1 record for the annual "City Game."

Their elation was short-lived when, after exchanging punts, Marshall Goldberg left the game with an injury, and the Tartan offense went 47 yards in 6 plays, culminating with a 26-yard touchdown pass from George Muha to Ray Carnelly.

Late in the second quarter, Tartan guard Bill Reith intercepted Stebbins pass at midfield and returned it to the Pitt 34-yard line.

Tech's final score was set up by a shanked punt by Pitt back Lawrence Peace that went out of bounds on the Panther 21-yard line.

They were invited to the 1939 Sugar Bowl and lost 15–7 to the #1 ranked TCU Horned Frogs, who were led by Heisman Trophy winner Davey O'Brien.

Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Joseph Rettinger, John Goodridge, Frank Kristufek, Rudolph Gradisek, Harold Klein, Richard Fullerton, Walter Raskowski, Lawrence Peace, Emil Narick, Robert Thurbon, Ben Kish and Michael Sekela.

[83] While the Pitt Panthers varsity practiced for their annual game against the Nittany Lions, the Pittsburgh newspapers' sports writers were kept busy.

The seniors were Bill Daddio, Elmer Merkovsky, Walt Raskowski, Steve Petro, Al Lezouski, Robert Dannies, John Chickerneo, Harold Stebbins, Marshall Goldberg, Fabian Hoffman, Ben Asavitch, Charles Fleming, Charles Shea, Clement Cambal, Willard Curry, James Kosinski, Stephen Horton and Alfred Berger.

[89] On a muddy, rain-soaked field, the Panthers led by Dick Cassiano's three touchdowns, extended their winning streak over the Nittany Lions to 16 games with a 26–0 shutout.

Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Joseph Rettinger, Stephen Horton, Leslie Holt, Ralph Hafer, Joseph Cambal, Gerald Lewis, Richard Fullerton, Harris Hawkins, Willard Curry, Harold Klein, Rudolph Gradisek, Paul Foley, Arthur Corace, Rudolph Gradisek, Gerald Lewis, Albert Gurczenski, Ben Asavitch, Frank Kristufek, John Dickinson, John Goodridge, Charles Fleming, Walter Raskowski, John Benz, James Kosinski, Clement Cambal, Ben Kish, Robert Thurbon, Charles Shea, George Kracum, Lawrence Peace, Emil Narick, Ernest Bonnelli, Frank Goodell, Michael Sekela and Louis Sleber.

"[95] Drew Middleton of The Atlanta Constitution wrote on Friday night for the Saturday morning edition: "The weather was clear and cool tonight, with every indication of a perfect football day tomorrow.

"[96] Harry Scott in his book Jock Sutherland described it best: "Then came one of the queerest games in Pitt football history, in which the Oakland boys were literally and figuratively snowed under in a freak storm in Durham, North Carolina.

Around nine o'clock in the morning a slight flurry began, and by game time the field was so blanketed with white that the chalk lines were invisible.

Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were John Goodridge, Walter Raskowski, Albin Lezouski, Rudolph Gradisek, Emil Narick and Lawrence Peace.

Bill Daddio, Harold Stebbins and Marshall Goldberg were chosen for the east squad by coach Andy Kerr to participate in the East-West Shrine game in San Francisco, California, while Steve Petro, John Chickerneo and Fabian Hoffman played for the North squad in the North-South game in Montgomery, Alabama.