KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – When Tennessee and Pitt meet in Neyland Stadium on Sept. 11, they will pay tribute to a shared gridiron icon as the two programs announced Wednesday the game's designation as the Johnny Majors Classic, named in honor of the late legendary head coach and player.
Kickoff is set for noon ET live on ESPN. Tickets are on sale now at AllVols.com.
"Honoring Johnny Majors in this way creates another really special and unique element to an already-special season as we celebrate Neyland Stadium's centennial," Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White said. "I appreciate Pittsburgh's partnership on this. It will be a memorable day for the Majors family as well as fans of both schools who appreciate Johnny Majors' hall of fame legacy."
"We are honored to join the University of Tennessee in celebrating the life of Coach Johnny Majors," Pitt Director of Athletics Heather Lyke said. "Beyond the victories, Coach Majors made such a huge impact on the lives of his players. That's his greatest legacy and the University of Pittsburgh is incredibly proud to be part of it. We look forward to being with the Majors family when we visit in September."
The first meeting between the two teams since 1983 will celebrate Majors' legacy with in-game festivities. In addition, Johnny Majors Classic apparel will be available for purchase. The two programs will reciprocate the event on Sept. 10, 2022, when they meet at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
"Coach Majors was synonymous with Tennessee football and that has become even more apparent to me in my short time in Knoxville," Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said. "He always preached 'attack, attack, attack' to his teams, a mantra we still apply today. It's only appropriate that the two programs he impacted the most will honor him with a game in his namesake, and we are proud to take part in it."
"This is an incredibly fitting tribute for Coach Majors, a true coaching legend who made such a lasting impact at both Pitt and Tennessee," Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said. "Every time I walk past our national championship display, I'm reminded—and inspired—by his legacy. He set high standards on and off the field during his incredible career."
Majors served two tenures as head coach at Pitt, doing so from 1973-76 and 1993-96. He spent 16 seasons as head coach of his alma mater of Tennessee from 1977-92. In total, he produced a 185-137-10 record in 29 seasons of coaching.
A 1987 inductee of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame as a player, Majors starred for the Volunteers from 1954-56. His No. 45 was retired by his alma mater in 2012—one of only eight to earn that distinction.
A native of Lynchburg, Tennessee, and a graduate of Huntland High School, Majors finished his Tennessee playing career with 1,622 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on 387 carries while also completing 54.1 percent of his passes (80 for 148) for 1,135 yards and 11 scores. He rushed for 549 yards and seven touchdowns on 108 carries in 1956.
He earned both SEC Player of the Year honors and All-SEC selection at tailback twice, in 1955 and 1956. A unanimous All-American in 1956, he finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting after leading the Vols to a 10-1 record, an appearance in the Sugar Bowl and a No. 2 final ranking.
Majors was named to the Quarter-Century All-SEC team (1950-74) at running back. When his playing career ended, he ranked in the SEC's all-time top 10 in total offense (2,757) and rushing (1,622) and was the league's single-season record holder for completion percentage (61.0 percent in 1956).
Majors' list of coaching honors is extensive and includes the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award, the AFCA Coach of the Year Award, the Sporting News College Football Coach of the Year Award and an SEC Coach of the Year Award.
Majors orchestrated one of the most dramatic turnarounds in college football history in leading Pitt to the 1976 national championship. It was a remarkable transformation considering the Panthers had finished 1-10 in 1972, the season prior to his arrival. His first prize recruit—Tony Dorsett—had a spectacular career at Pitt, which included being honored with college football's most treasured award, the Heisman Trophy.
During his initial Pitt tenure, Majors led the Panthers to three bowl games in four seasons, including victories in the Sun Bowl and the Sugar Bowl, a 27-3 thumping of Georgia that clinched a 12-0 season and the unanimous 1976 national title.
Nearly 20 years to the day Majors arrived at Pitt the first time, the Panthers summoned him back to Pittsburgh in December 1992. While not as dramatic as his first tour, Majors recruited many players that formed the nucleus of Pitt's 1997 Liberty Bowl team, a squad that helped set into motion a revival that put the Panthers annually in the postseason picture once again.
Majors owned a stellar 116-62-6 as head coach at Tennessee, with three conference championships and 12 bowl appearances. He produced 15 All-America selections.
His 1991 Tennessee team came back from what appeared to be certain defeat in 1991 at Notre Dame, rallying from a 31-7 halftime deficit to take a 35-34 triumph. His 1985 team defeated Miami in the Sugar Bowl, 35-7, capping a nine-win campaign and the program's first SEC Championship season in 16 years.
Majors spearheaded Tennessee to back-to-back SEC championships in 1989 and 1990. The 1989 season saw his squad reel off six consecutive wins to end the year, highlighted by a 31-27 win over No. 10 Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl, which propelled the Vols to a No. 5 ranking in the final Associated Press poll.
Majors passed away in Knoxville on June 3, 2020, at the age of 85.
Kickoff is set for noon ET live on ESPN. Tickets are on sale now at AllVols.com.
"Honoring Johnny Majors in this way creates another really special and unique element to an already-special season as we celebrate Neyland Stadium's centennial," Tennessee Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White said. "I appreciate Pittsburgh's partnership on this. It will be a memorable day for the Majors family as well as fans of both schools who appreciate Johnny Majors' hall of fame legacy."
"We are honored to join the University of Tennessee in celebrating the life of Coach Johnny Majors," Pitt Director of Athletics Heather Lyke said. "Beyond the victories, Coach Majors made such a huge impact on the lives of his players. That's his greatest legacy and the University of Pittsburgh is incredibly proud to be part of it. We look forward to being with the Majors family when we visit in September."
The first meeting between the two teams since 1983 will celebrate Majors' legacy with in-game festivities. In addition, Johnny Majors Classic apparel will be available for purchase. The two programs will reciprocate the event on Sept. 10, 2022, when they meet at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
"Coach Majors was synonymous with Tennessee football and that has become even more apparent to me in my short time in Knoxville," Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said. "He always preached 'attack, attack, attack' to his teams, a mantra we still apply today. It's only appropriate that the two programs he impacted the most will honor him with a game in his namesake, and we are proud to take part in it."
"This is an incredibly fitting tribute for Coach Majors, a true coaching legend who made such a lasting impact at both Pitt and Tennessee," Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said. "Every time I walk past our national championship display, I'm reminded—and inspired—by his legacy. He set high standards on and off the field during his incredible career."
Majors served two tenures as head coach at Pitt, doing so from 1973-76 and 1993-96. He spent 16 seasons as head coach of his alma mater of Tennessee from 1977-92. In total, he produced a 185-137-10 record in 29 seasons of coaching.
A 1987 inductee of the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame as a player, Majors starred for the Volunteers from 1954-56. His No. 45 was retired by his alma mater in 2012—one of only eight to earn that distinction.
A native of Lynchburg, Tennessee, and a graduate of Huntland High School, Majors finished his Tennessee playing career with 1,622 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns on 387 carries while also completing 54.1 percent of his passes (80 for 148) for 1,135 yards and 11 scores. He rushed for 549 yards and seven touchdowns on 108 carries in 1956.
He earned both SEC Player of the Year honors and All-SEC selection at tailback twice, in 1955 and 1956. A unanimous All-American in 1956, he finished second in the Heisman Trophy balloting after leading the Vols to a 10-1 record, an appearance in the Sugar Bowl and a No. 2 final ranking.
Majors was named to the Quarter-Century All-SEC team (1950-74) at running back. When his playing career ended, he ranked in the SEC's all-time top 10 in total offense (2,757) and rushing (1,622) and was the league's single-season record holder for completion percentage (61.0 percent in 1956).
Majors' list of coaching honors is extensive and includes the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award, the AFCA Coach of the Year Award, the Sporting News College Football Coach of the Year Award and an SEC Coach of the Year Award.
Majors orchestrated one of the most dramatic turnarounds in college football history in leading Pitt to the 1976 national championship. It was a remarkable transformation considering the Panthers had finished 1-10 in 1972, the season prior to his arrival. His first prize recruit—Tony Dorsett—had a spectacular career at Pitt, which included being honored with college football's most treasured award, the Heisman Trophy.
During his initial Pitt tenure, Majors led the Panthers to three bowl games in four seasons, including victories in the Sun Bowl and the Sugar Bowl, a 27-3 thumping of Georgia that clinched a 12-0 season and the unanimous 1976 national title.
Nearly 20 years to the day Majors arrived at Pitt the first time, the Panthers summoned him back to Pittsburgh in December 1992. While not as dramatic as his first tour, Majors recruited many players that formed the nucleus of Pitt's 1997 Liberty Bowl team, a squad that helped set into motion a revival that put the Panthers annually in the postseason picture once again.
Majors owned a stellar 116-62-6 as head coach at Tennessee, with three conference championships and 12 bowl appearances. He produced 15 All-America selections.
His 1991 Tennessee team came back from what appeared to be certain defeat in 1991 at Notre Dame, rallying from a 31-7 halftime deficit to take a 35-34 triumph. His 1985 team defeated Miami in the Sugar Bowl, 35-7, capping a nine-win campaign and the program's first SEC Championship season in 16 years.
Majors spearheaded Tennessee to back-to-back SEC championships in 1989 and 1990. The 1989 season saw his squad reel off six consecutive wins to end the year, highlighted by a 31-27 win over No. 10 Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl, which propelled the Vols to a No. 5 ranking in the final Associated Press poll.
Majors passed away in Knoxville on June 3, 2020, at the age of 85.
