[11] On February 16, the executive committee of Pitt's Board of Trustees approved the hiring of Len Casanova as the head football coach, plus Herman Meister and Jack Roche as assistants.
[14] On September 3, 57 Panthers bussed to fall camp at Allegheny College in Meadville, PA for two weeks of pre-season training.
Coach Casanova continued two-a-days for the next week on Trees Field in preparation for their opening game on September 30 at Duke.
[15] [16][17][18] Len Casanova's Panthers opened their season against Wallace Wade's Duke Blue Devils in Durham, NC.
Pitt halfback, Bill Sichko, returned the second half kick-off 85 yards to put the Panthers on the scoreboard first.
Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Chris Warriner, George Glagola, Flint Greene, Bob Brennen, Charles Thomas, Gabe Gembarosky, Robert Mihm, John Dazio, Don Karanovich, Merle DeLuca, Bill Gasparovic, Joseph Bozek, John Masarick, Fred Botti, Armand DiFonso, Anthony Simile, James Campbell and Joe Schmidt.
[25] Coach Casanova altered the line-up: Right tackle Charles Yost, injured against Duke and lost for the season, was replaced by Bill Gasparovic; Injured left end Ted Geremsky was replaced by Chris Warriner; Armand DiFonso started at quarterback, and Joe Schmidt started at fullback.
Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were George Glagola, Flint Greene, John Stoken, Bob Brennen, Gabe Gembarosky, Robert Mihm, Don Karanovich, Merle DeLuca, Joseph Bozek, John Masarick, Fred Botti, Anthony Simile, James Campbell, John Huzvar, Larry Pierce, Anthony Romantino, George Radosevich, William Ewing, Stuart Kline, Frank DiLeo, Bob Bestwick, Bob Osterhout, James Jennings, Joseph Capp and David Fyock.
[26] For their home opener, the Panthers scheduled Jeff Neely's, 1950 Cotton Bowl and 1949 Southwest Conference, champion Rice Owls.
We expect to have an offensive and defensive line to throw against Rice, but we don't have the backfield material to be exclusively a two-platoon team.
"[29] On a rainy day in Pittsburgh, the Panthers jumped out to a 7–0 lead in the second quarter, but could not contain the Rice aerial game and lost to the Owls 14–7.
Late in the period, Panther halfback Bill Reynolds intercepted a Vernon Glass pass and returned it to the Rice 27-yard line.
On the third play of the second quarter, Bob Bestwick scored from the 3-yard line and Bolkovac added the extra point.
Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were George Glagola, Ted Geremsky, Nick Bolkovac, Charles Thomas, Gabe Gembarosky, Don Karanovich, Mike Boldin, Joseph Bozek, Fred Botti, Anthony Simile, James Campbell, John Huzvar, Anthony Romantino, George Radosevich, William Ewing, Stuart Kline, Bob Osterhout, Bill Gasparovic, James Jennings, Armand DiFonso and Joseph Schmidt.
In the final quarter, Pitt guard, Mke Boldin recovered a Northwestern fumble on the Wildcat 18-yard line.
Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were George Glagola, Ted Geremsky, Larry Pierce, John Stoken, Nick Bolkovac, Rudy Andabaker, Anthony Romantino, Gabe Gembarosky, George Radosevich, Stuart Kline, Don Karanovich, Merle DeLuca, Frank DiLeo, Bill Gasparovic, Sam DeFede, Joseph Bozek, John Masarick, Bob Osterhout, Armand DiFonso, David Fyock, Anthony Simile, James Campbell, James Jennings and Joe Schmidt.
[37] The Panthers second home game was against the #11 ranked Miami Hurricanes, coached by former Pitt running back Andy Gustafson (1923–25).
Jack DelBello scored on a quarterback sneak and Gordon Watson booted the extra point for a 7–0 halftime lead.
McKeesport, PA natives, quarterback Jack Hackett and end Ed Lutes, connected for two touchdown passes in the final period to cement the Miami victory.
Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were George Glagola, Ted Geremsky, Larry Pierce, Flint Greene, Charles Thomas, Gabe Gembarosky, George Radosevich, Don Karanovich, Mike Boldin, Bill Gasparovic, Sam DeFede, Joseph Bozek, Bob Osterhout, Armand DiFonso, David Fyock, Anthony Simile, Bob Bestwick, Frank Guadagnino, James Campbell, James Jennings and Joseph Capp.
[42] On November 4, first-year coach Art Lewis's West Virginia Mountaineers played the Panthers for the forty-third time.
[43] Due to inclement weather, Pitt relied on its running game and managed to tally three touchdowns to beat the Mountaineers 21–7.
Notre Dame quarterback Bob Williams threw two touchdown passes in the first half to give the Irish a 12–0 halftime edge.
Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were George Glagola, Joseph Bozek, John Masarik, Nick Bolkovac, Bill Gasparovic, Rudy Andabaker, Mike Boldin, Dan Karanovich, George Radosevich, Gabe Gamborosky, Bob Osterhout, Bill Sichko, Frank Guadagnino, James Jennings and Joseph Schmidt.
[51] State ends Dorne Dibble and Bob Carey, and fullback Sonny Grandelius received All-American honors.
Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were George Glagola, Joseph Bozek, John Masarik, Bob Brennen, Rudy Andabaker, Mike Boldin, Dan Karanovich, Anthony Romantino, George Radosevich, Gabe Gamborosky, Bob Osterhout, Bill Sichko, Frank Guadagnino, James Jennings, Bill Reynolds, Joe Kurtik and William Ewing.
The Mayor banned automobile parking in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, so the trolley-car was the main means of access to the stadium.
On the third play, Lion back Bill Leonard intercepted Bob Bestwick's pass and ran 60 yards for the touchdown.
On second down, Bestwick threw to Nick DeRosa in the corner of the end zone to mmake the score 21–20.
Substitutes appearing in the game for Pitt were Ted Geremsky, Joseph Bozek, Flint Greene, Bob Brennen, Merle DeLuca, Mike Boldin, Anthony Romantino, George Radosevich, Gabe Gamborosky, Joe Schmidt, James Campbell and Armand DiFonso.