Tony Dorsett had set the stage one year earlier for the Pittsburgh Panthers.
During the 1975 season, Dorsett had led the Pittsburgh Panthers to an 8-4 record.
The Panthers finished the year ranked No. 15 in the final Associated Press poll after winning 34-20 at Notre Dame as Dorsett gained 303 yards before beating Kansas 33-19 in the Sun Bowl.
Pittsburgh was ranked ninth in the AP’s pre-season poll, while visiting Notre Dame was No. 11. Dorsett and the Panthers started the 1976 season with a 31-10 victory over the Irish at home with the running back gaining 181 yards.
After the Notre Dame win, the Panthers were ranked No. 3. As the season progressed, Pittsburgh continued to rack up victories and when the Panthers reached 9-0 they were also at the pinnacle of the AP poll.
Pittsburgh held on to the No. 1 ranking through its final two contests as the Panthers took care of rivals West Virginia 24-16 and Penn State 27-7.
With a 27-3 win over Georgia in the 1977 Sugar Bowl, Pittsburgh claimed the undisputed NCAA National Championship with a perfect 12-0 mark.
Against the Bulldogs, who ended the year ranked No. 4, Dorsett gained 202 yards rushing in his final collegiate affair.
Dorsett led the nation in rushing with 2,150 yards in 1976 on his way to numerous accolades including the Heisman Trophy. He was an All-American for the third time and ended his career with 6,526 yards and 58 touchdowns. Overall, he scored 63 touchdowns and all of those career marks are still records.
Back-to-Back Titles
The Dallas Cowboys put together a trade deal that involved four picks for the second position in the 1977 draft.
After the Tampa Bay Buccaneers picked Southern Cal running back and future College Football Hall of Fame honoree Ricky Bell, the Cowboys selected Dorsett.
Dorsett responded by being named the National Football League’s Offensive Rookie of the Year.
With Dorsett’s contribution, the Cowboys went on to a 27-10 victory over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII.
As a result, Dorsett became the first player to win a college national championship and then a NFL title in back-to-back seasons.
The Halls
Dorsett was inducted into both the college and professional hall of fame in 1994. He and Marcus Allen remain the only two players in football history to win the Heisman, NCAA title and the Super Bowl.
As a pro, Dorsett rushed for 12,739 yards and scored 92 touchdowns. He played in four Pro Bowls and received several awards, while also being put into the Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor in 1994.