University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Panthers to Host 2026 Kickoff Luncheon on August 28 at Acrisure Stadium
8/14/2026 10:34:00 AM | Football
Pitt Athletics Hall of Famer Al Romano to Serve as Featured Guest
PITTSBURGH—Pitt Football fans are invited to celebrate the start of the season at the 2026 Pitt Football Kickoff Luncheon presented by Huntington Bank, set for Friday, August 28, at Acrisure Stadium's UPMC Club.
This year's luncheon will kick off Pitt's season-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Panthers' undefeated 1976 national championship team.
The program will feature Chris Bickell '97 Head Football Coach Pat Narduzzi, Director of Athletics Allen Greene, the 2026 Pitt Football senior class and Pitt Athletics Hall of Famer Al Romano.
A consensus All-American and key member of Pitt's 1976 national championship team, Romano will share memories from the historic season during a special question-and-answer session moderated by former Pitt quarterback and current Senior Associate Athletic Director Pat Bostick.
A member of Johnny Majors' first Pitt recruiting class in 1973, Romano helped lay the foundation for one of the most dramatic turnarounds in college football history. During his four seasons, the Panthers rose from Eastern doormat to undefeated national champions.
Playing at nose tackle, Romano was at the heart of Pitt's defense. He earned consensus All-America honors and was an Outland Trophy finalist in 1976. Romano made one of the defining defensive plays of that championship season when he stopped a Syracuse ball carrier on fourth-and-short deep in Pitt territory, protecting a seven-point lead in an eventual 23-13 victory.
Romano was also named the Most Valuable Lineman of the 1975 Sun Bowl, a 33-19 victory over Kansas that helped launch Pitt's national championship campaign. A 1977 graduate, he was inducted into the Pitt Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024.
EVENT DETAILS
2026 Pitt Football Kickoff Luncheon
Date: Friday, August 28, 2026
Time: 11 a.m. – Doors Open | 11:30 a.m. – Program Begins
Location: Acrisure Stadium – UPMC Club
Fans can purchase tickets and find more information at PittsburghPanthers.com/kickoff. For additional questions, please contact events@athletics.pitt.edu.
