Four former Pitt stars are on the 2027 College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
Players Matt Cavanaugh, Craig “Ironhead” Heyward and Antonio Bryant, along with former head coach Jackie Sherrill, have been named to the 2027 National Football Foundation (NFF) College Football Hall of Fame ballot.
These four individuals are recognized for their significant contributions to the University of Pittsburgh football program.
Cavanaugh led the Panthers to a national title, Heyward had one of the school’s finest rushing seasons, Bryant won the Biletnikoff Award and Sherrill guided the program to an impressive winning percentage and multiple top-10 finishes.
Cavanaugh served as the Panthers’ starting quarterback from 1975 to 1977. During his time, he led the program to three bowl victories and the 1976 National Championship. In 1977, Cavanaugh completed 87 of 151 passes for 1,457 yards and 11 touchdowns, earning First Team All-America honors. He was also named Most Valuable Player of both the 1977 Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia and the 1978 Gator Bowl.
Heyward played for Pitt from 1985 to 1987. His senior year in 1987 featured one of the best rushing seasons in school history, with 357 carries for 1,791 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also contributed 21 receptions for 198 yards and an additional score that year. Heyward was a consensus All-American and finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy voting. His 1987 rushing total remains the third-highest single-season mark in Pitt history. He concluded his career with 3,086 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns. Heyward passed away in 2006 at the age of 39. His sons, Cameron and Connor, both pursued careers in the NFL, currently playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Las Vegas Raiders, respectively.
Bryant starred at Pitt from 1999 to 2001, establishing himself as a dynamic college football receiver. As a consensus First Team All-American in 2000, he received the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver after catching 68 passes for 1,302 yards and 11 touchdowns. Bryant finished his Pitt career with 176 receptions for 3,271 yards and 21 touchdowns.
Sherrill took over the program after its 1976 national championship and guided Pitt to four top-10 finishes in five seasons, including a No. 2 final ranking in 1980 and a No. 4 finish in 1981. He was the first head coach in school history to lead the Panthers to five consecutive bowl games, achieving a 4-1 postseason record. Over his final three seasons from 1979 to 1981, Pitt posted a 33-three record, consistently finishing among the nation’s top six teams each year. His teams went 5-1 against rivals Penn State and West Virginia. His 1980 team finished 11-1 and was ranked as high as No. 1 nationally and his 1981 squad also went 11-1, capping the season with a Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia. Sherrill coached 11 First Team All-Americans during his Pitt tenure, including College Football Hall of Famers Hugh Green and Dan Marino. He was named the 1981 Walter Camp National Coach of the Year and was inducted into the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020.
The announcement of the 2027 NFF College Football Hall of Fame Class is scheduled for early 2027, with specific details to be announced later. The Class will be officially inducted in 2027 during the 69th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas. The inductees will be permanently recognized at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta.
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