2005 Pittsburgh Panthers football team

2005 Pittsburgh Panthers football
Conference	Big East Conference
Record	5–6 (4–3 Big East)
Head coach	Dave Wannstedt (1st season)
Offensive coordinator	Matt Cavanaugh (1st season)
Offensive scheme	Pro-style
Defensive coordinator	Paul Rhoads (6th season)
Base defense	4–3
Home stadium	Heinz Field

2005 Big East Conference football standings

	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
No. 5 West Virginia $		7	–	0					11	–	1
No. 19 Louisville		5	–	2					9	–	3
Rutgers		4	–	3					7	–	5
South Florida		4	–	3					6	–	6
Pittsburgh		4	–	3					5	–	6
Connecticut		2	–	5					5	–	6
Cincinnati		2	–	5					4	–	7
Syracuse		0	–	7					1	–	10
$ – BCS representative as conference champion Rankings from AP Poll

The 2005 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season.

Schedule

Date	Time	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 3	8:00 p.m.	Notre Dame*	No. 23	Heinz Field Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry) (College GameDay)	ABC	L 21–42	66,451
September 9	8:00 p.m.	at Ohio*		Peden Stadium Athens, OH	ESPN2	L 10–16 OT	24,545
September 17	3:30 p.m.	at Nebraska*		Memorial Stadium Lincoln, NE	ABC	L 6–7	77,336
September 24	2:00 p.m.	Youngstown State*		Heinz Field Pittsburgh, PA		W 41–0	43,135
September 30	8:00 p.m.	at Rutgers		Rutgers Stadium Piscataway, NJ	ESPN2	L 29–37	37,514
October 8	2:00 p.m.	Cincinnati		Heinz Field Pittsburgh, PA (River City Rivalry)		W 38–20	30,343
October 15	2:00 p.m.	South Florida		Heinz Field Pittsburgh, PA	ESPN360	W 31–17	33,497
October 22	12:00 p.m.	Syracuse		Heinz Field Pittsburgh, PA (rivalry)	ESPN+	W 34–17	33,059
November 3	7:30 p.m.	at No. 25 Louisville		Papa John's Cardinal Stadium Louisville, KY	ESPN	L 20–42	42,692
November 12	12:00 p.m.	Connecticut		Heinz Field Pittsburgh, PA	ESPN+	W 24–0	35,145
November 24	8:00 p.m.	at No. 11 West Virginia		Mountaineer Field Morgantown, WV (Backyard Brawl)	ESPN	L 13–45	52,997
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

Coaching staff

2005 Pittsburgh Panthers football staff
	Coaching staff Dave Wannstedt – Head coach Bob Junko – Assistant head coach/defensive tackles Matt Cavanaugh – Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks Paul Rhoads – Defensive coordinator/secondary Curtis Bray – Linebackers Paul Dunn – Offensive line Greg Gattuso – Tight ends/recruiting coordinator Aubrey Hill – Receivers Charlie Partridge – Defensive ends/Special teams David Walker – Running backs			Support staff Chris LaSala – Assistant Athletic Director/football operations Mike Antonoplos – Recruiting Assistant Scott McCurley – Graduate assistant Jeff Ambrosie – Graduate assistant Zen Bliss – Under Grad Intern (Offense)			Strength and conditioning staff Mike Kent – Strength and conditioning coach Darren Honeycutt – Assistant strength and conditioning coach

Team players drafted into the NFL

Player	Position	Round	Pick	NFL club
Charles Spencer	Guard	3	65	Houston Texans
Josh Lay	Defensive back	6	174	New Orleans Saints